2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH
DUKE ENERGY CONVENTION CENTER
3/07/2023 | 2:15 PM - 2:45 PM | It’s Complicated: A Parent’s Experience Supporting a DHH Child through Traumatic Medical Events | DECC 205
It’s Complicated: A Parent’s Experience Supporting a DHH Child through Traumatic Medical Events
This summer, Amy Keslinke’s four-year-old son had his third open heart surgery. He is also Deaf and relies primarily on sign language to communicate. Open heart surgery is, unsurprisingly, very stressful for anyone who experiences it, but this stress is heightened when communication barriers exist.
According to Journal of Pediatric Psychology, “trauma experiences in early childhood are often ignored and underestimated” (https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/46/7/739/6324480). Even in a pediatric setting with professionals who specialize in caring for children under medical care, communication breakdown can significantly complicate the way a child experiences and understands a traumatic medical experience and, of course, impact their development later on.
Through elements of her family’s own experience along with research in the field of medical trauma and information deprivation trauma, Amy will invite participants into the experience of advocating for a child who is Deaf through a traumatic and complicated surgery.
- Participants will be introduced to the concepts of pediatric medical trauma and information deprivation trauma and the implications of them.
- Participants will encounter the experience of a hearing parent advocating for her Deaf son through complex open heart surgery.
- Participants will reflect on how their own practices can minimize the experience of trauma that may have occurred to a child that they work with.
Presentation:
This presentation has not yet been uploaded.
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
3420032_15542AmyKeslinke.docx
Presenters/Authors
Amy Keslinke
(), Illinois Hands and Voices Guide by Your Side, akeslinke.gbys@gmail.com;
Amy Keslinke is an educator with experience teaching students from third grade into adulthood. When she learned during her second pregnancy that her son would be born with a congenital heart defect, she knew her life as a parent would be different than she expected. When he was diagnosed with severe-to-profound hearing loss at six months old and continued to pile on multiple other medical diagnoses before his first birthday, Amy’s passion for writing and teaching morphed into a special interest in empowering parents of children who are deaf with disabilities. Amy has presented at the state and national level and is a member of the Illinois Hands and Voices Board of Directors, providing unbiased support to parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing, many of whom have additional disabilities as well. She is also a Parent Facilitator with the Illinois Service Resource Library, where she helps plan and coordinate events to educate parents of children who are DHH and is an adjunct faculty member in the Adult Basic/Secondary Education program at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois. She lives in Gilberts, Illinois, with her husband, Dan, and children, Emerie and Evan.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment,Teaching and speaking from Elgin Community College.
• Receives Salary for Independent contractor from Illinois Hands and Voices Guide By Your Side.
• Receives Salary for Independent contractor from Illinois Service Resource Center.
• Receives Salary for Employment,Teaching and speaking from Northwestern Illinois Association.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Illinois Hands and Voices Guide by Your Side
Illinois Service Resource Center
Elgin Community College
Northwestern Illinois Association
Chicago Hearing Society.
Nature: Employment and/or contract work.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.