| Title: |
'Supporting Parents of Children With Hearing Loss' |
| Track: |
6-Family Issues
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| Audience: |
Primary Audience:
Family of a child with hearing loss
Secondary Audience:
Advocacy Group
Tertiary Audeince:
Non-Profit Agency
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| Keyword(s): |
Parents, emotional support, grief, language |
| Learning Objectives: |
Participants will be able to:
• Identify the basic components of the grieving process.
• Explain the difference between providing “emotional support” and “rescuing.”
• Know how to provide to parents objective information about communication options.
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Abstract: |
More than 90% of children with hearing loss are born to parents who hear. For most of these parents, this will be their first experience with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing—and they will need support from others to understand what it means for them and their child. For more than 20 years, BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc. has provided emotional support, unbiased information, and technical assistance to parents in North Carolina whose children have been diagnosed with a hearing loss. During a home visit, Parent Educators ensure parents understand their child’s hearing loss; explain the grieving process; provide emotional support (if needed); and provide information about language development; communication options; early intervention services; local, state and national resources; and financial assistance (if needed).
Aspects of the grieving process will be identified and explained along with special considerations when working with grieving parents. The importance of providing parents objective information about communication options will be stressed along with questions parents need to ask and answer as they decide what is best for their child and family—including: Do you know what your options are for communication? Do you understand these options? Have you examined them in person? Do you understand all test results? How much time do you have to devote to learning the methodology?
Participants will be encouraged to ask questions and share comments throughout the session.
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| Presentation(s): |
Not Available
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| Handouts: |
Not Available
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PRESENTER(S):
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Joni Alberg - Oberkotter Foundation
Credentials: Ph.D.
Other Affiliations: Adjunct Faculty, Department of Allied Health Sciences, Speech and Hearing Sciences, UNC-Chapel Hill
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Joni Alberg. Joni joined the Oberkotter Foundation as Family Support Programs Officer on October 1, 2014. Previously, she served as Executive Director of BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. in NC from 1999 until October 2014. BEGINNINGS provides emotional support, information, and technical assistance to parents throughout North Carolina who have children from birth through age 21 with a hearing loss. Joni holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Special Education from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Alberg has more than 30 years professional experience as a special education teacher, administrator, researcher and business executive. |
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AUTHOR(S):
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Joni Alberg - Oberkotter Foundation
Credentials: Ph.D.
Other Affiliations: Adjunct Faculty, Department of Allied Health Sciences, Speech and Hearing Sciences, UNC-Chapel Hill
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BIO: Joni Alberg. Joni joined the Oberkotter Foundation as Family Support Programs Officer on October 1, 2014. Previously, she served as Executive Director of BEGINNINGS For Parents of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc. in NC from 1999 until October 2014. BEGINNINGS provides emotional support, information, and technical assistance to parents throughout North Carolina who have children from birth through age 21 with a hearing loss. Joni holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Special Education from Florida State University and a Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Alberg has more than 30 years professional experience as a special education teacher, administrator, researcher and business executive. |
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