Update - no more Mrs. Nice Girl!

ryancher said:
A bit confused here with what you mean? Tyler was moderate/severe to severe at birth, hearing aids at 5 months old, signs for the past 2 years as well as constant speech & SLP. I know he's getting some speech (definetely not all but some) so doesn't that give him something?
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Ok, let me try to explain....

There are sounds that he has never heard. In fact, there are speech sounds that he has never heard. I would guess that he can hear (and say) all vowels and low frequency sounds like "b" and "m". Now, since there are sounds he has never heard, his brain has changed. The longer he goes without being able to hear those sounds, the less likely his brain is to EVER be able to interpret those sounds. So, even if he got a cochlear implant, the reason he would be less successful than a child who was implanted at 6 months old would be his brain. But on the other hand, he would be MORE successful than a prelingually deaf adult, because his brain did learn to interpret more sound than theirs. Plus, he is still younger, so his brain would be able to "remap" some with the new imput.

So, it has nothing to do with therapy but everything to do with the brain! The whole point of AV therapy is NOT to teach words, but to teach the brain how to listen and understand sound. That is why it is so different from traditional, old school, speech therapy.
 
ryancher, so he's not totally silent? He makes sounds? It's just that actual spoken language/words haven't happened yet? I do know even with hearing aids, there are hoh kids with significent spoken language delays (ie not just articualtion, pitch and volumne issues)
It's possible that the spoken language delay may be a severe one. Some hoh kids do have severe spoken language issues. It's not just deaf kids by all means!
Has your son ever had one of those in booth hearing tests for kids with limited language?
Oh and ryancher, you meant that you want him to have as many options as possible right? Nothing wrong with that. Continue with the ASL AND intense speech therapy. That's really the way to go if your son has a severe spoken language delay.
 
Yes, he makes sounds... he has always made lots of sounds. I'd say it sounds like a lot of baby babble... but with intonation. So, when we say peek-a-boo - he'd say ee-a-oo - it sounds very similar like he's trying but with little to no consonents.

Even when we say "dada" he repeats "vava".

It's like he's not hearing some of the consonents.

I have a 2nd opinion being arranged for his hearing to be tested and his aids to be programmed.

I am also starting to work with an AVT who is very flexible with Tyler's ridid or difficult behaviour. He's a good boy but he gets frustrated quickly.

I'm getting LOTS of 2nd opinions for just about everything!!!
 
First of all, it's a good idea to get 2nd opinion and once whatever has been confirmed then you start up a plan to help Tyler.

I was in oral program but only spoke few words then when I was 4, I was introduced to sign language and what do you know...I was gabbing away using speech and signing.

Keep on advocating for Tyler. They will have no choice but to listen to you when you speak up.
 
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