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ABSTRACT INFORMATION
Title: 'The Ins and Outs of Raising a Deaf Child: Building a Strong Foundation' Track: 3-Early Intervention and Beyond Audience: Primary Audience: Family of a child with hearing loss Secondary Audience: Early Intervention Provider Tertiary Audeince: Part C Agency/Program Keyword(s): Identification, Education, Advocacy, Laws Learning Objectives: • Identify the emotional stages of grief and acceptance that parents of newly identified Deaf and Hard of Hearing babies and children commonly experience and how the presentation of options by different parties plays a role in decision-making. • Recognize first contacts and their short-term and long-term impacts on parents’ attitudes, beliefs, and decisions. • List how parents can become effective advocates for their children through training, resources and network building. Abstract: Families with children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing are unique. Each family member brings to the table, individual backgrounds, ethnicity, religion, and beliefs. While families may be different in many ways, including choices for their Deaf or Hard of Hearing children, families still share many commonalities when raising their Deaf and Hard of Hearing children. The building blocks that are presented to parents in early intervention can easily impact a family’s foundation for raising a language-rich, self-confident child who can meet developmental milestones on target with other children of the same age. This presentation, given by a hearing mother of a Deaf adult and a Deaf mother of two Deaf children covers many of the topics that parents just starting out, encounter in their journeys…including discovery, first contacts, education, advocacy, family dynamics, language development, identity, and much more. The stages of grief and acceptance will be examined along with the methods in which options are presented that impact parents’ attitudes, beliefs, and decision-making. In addition, this presentation will cover techniques for parents to become effective advocates for their children through training, resources, and networking. This real-life practical presentation is for anyone who has direct influence on Deaf and Hard of Hearing children. Presentation(s): Not Available Handouts: Not Available
SPEAKER INFORMATION
PRESENTER(S): Trudy Suggs - ASDC      Credentials: Masters of Public Administration      Other Affiliations: National Association of the Deaf       Trudy Suggs, MPA Trudy, the Deaf mother to two Deaf children who successfully received EHDI services, is the owner of T.S. Writing Services (www.tswriting.com). Trudy has served as secretary of the National Association of the Deaf, vice president and president of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, and board member of the National Deaf Business Institute. In 2008, she received the Gallaudet University Alumni Association Outstanding Young Alumnus Award and the National Association of the Deaf CEO’s Award. In 2009, she was selected by Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie as a National Association of Secretaries of State Medallion Award recipient.   AUTHOR(S): Tamara Hossler - American Society for Deaf Children      Credentials: Editor of The Endeavor for the American Society for Deaf Children       BIO: Parent of Deaf daughter. Editor of The Endeavor magazine for the American Society for Deaf Children.