Cincinnati Children's Blog
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Blog
  • Healthy Living
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Heart Conditions
  • Learning and Growing
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Y&H Podcast
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us
HOME/Share Your Story/Utilizing Technology to Aid in Speech Development

Utilizing Technology to Aid in Speech Development

Utilizing Technology to Aid in Speech Development
March 14, 2017
Natalie Busch
1 Comments

When my daughter Sedona turned two years old she was little Miss Independent. She could button buttons and zip zippers. She knew how to get herself a snack. And she was even potty trained already. The thing that she could not do was talk. Not very much anyway.

At her two-year check-up her pediatrician referred us to an ENT just to rule out hearing loss before beginning speech therapy. At the ENT appointment I went into the sound booth with her and she sat on my lap as they tested different tones through the speakers. No matter how loud the sounds got Sedona didn’t seem to respond. The doctor was concerned and scheduled an ABR (auditory brainstem response test). This test would give a definitive answer as to whether or not Sedona could hear.

Sure enough, the ABR confirmed that Sedona was deaf and although the diagnosis was not what I wanted to hear, I didn’t really have time to be stunned. We had to hit the ground running with learning sign language, getting hearing aids and going to therapy. She had the cochlear implant surgery just before her third birthday and then we moved from Kentucky to Ohio so that she could go to an oral deaf school and be closer to Cincinnati Children’s. We had a lot of lost time to make up for.

By the time Sedona was five she was talking, but not at the level of a typical five year old. She would leave out a lot words in a sentence. For example instead of saying “Can I go to the store with you?” she would say “I go store with you?” She would also get everyday vocabulary confused, like instead of refrigerator should would say closet. Sometimes I would get discouraged. I was really happy about how far she had come, but she was in kindergarten now and I couldn’t help but worry that she would be behind academically.

That summer I was contacted about a research study program for some software called Touch Chat HD. Sedona would have the opportunity to go to therapy at Cincinnati Children’s and learn how to use technology-assisted language (TAL) using an iPad. The software is specifically designed for children who are deaf or hard of hearing with the goal of improving language performance.

The study would include four, 6-week installments, which meant a 24-week commitment. I was skeptical because at the time I had three children and was pregnant with our fourth. It all sounded a little overwhelming, but I was also intrigued. The study included 12 therapy sessions and at the end of the study Sedona would get to keep the iPad and the Touch Chat software. This sounded like a program that Sedona could really benefit from so I agreed to give it a try.

The day we showed up and met Rosie Sheldon, a speech-language pathologist in the division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, they instantly connected. I was able to sit in the library down the hall and watch Sedona’s sessions from a computer. Sedona had a great time and couldn’t wait to return. She quickly learned how to use the software. She was able to create audible sentences by touching the icons on the screen.

I was learning to use the software right along with Sedona. We took what we had learned at therapy and implemented it at home. Sedona would be so proud of herself as her sentences began to grow and she would count how many words she was able to piece together. As a bonus she was also learning to spell. She would type “C-A-T” on the keypad and a voice would read cat out loud. Sedona would hear it and then shout “CAT!” and her face would light up every time. I could tell that she was encouraged and motivated to keep going.technology assisted language

We actually missed our final session for the study because I went into labor and had our fourth child. Sedona has been an amazing big sister. She snuggles, kisses, and protects her baby sis just like a little mother hen. It’s such a blessing to watch them interact and for Sedona to have the ability to communicate with her sister.

I have been approached more than once about various research studies and it’s always a tough call. I never want my daughter to feel like she is being analyzed or put to work. The therapy sessions are nothing like that, though. It’s play time to her and she has always had a say in whether or not she wanted to participate.

Being a part of the Touch Chat Pilot program was a very rewarding experience. Sedona has almost completed 1st grade now and she is doing so well. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Sedona and for this new technology. It is an honor to be a part of this groundbreaking study.

Editor’s note:  You can read more about the Busch’s hearing loss journey at  www.MessyMom.com.

Related Articles

How to Help Protect Your Child’s Hearing
How to Help Protect Your Child’s Hearing
When Does My Child Need A Comprehensive Hearing Test?
When Does My Child Need A Comprehensive Hearing Test?
How to Listen to Earphones Safely
How to Listen to Earphones Safely
How to Help A Preschooler Who Begins to Stutter
How to Help A Preschooler Who Begins to Stutter
TAGS:
  • audiology
  • hearing loss
  • speech therapy

About the author: Natalie Busch

Natalie Busch is a wife and mother to four children ages 9, 7, 4, and 1. She is currently a stay-at-home mom that blogs and does photography on the side. She loves making the most of the good, bad, and messy side of motherhood.

Write A Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

Giving children a voice: Intervention study uses iPads in therapy to help children learn language - CincyInformatix May 23, 2017 at 1:12 pm

[…] by Sedona, a patient featured in the news report—a larger randomized trial is now being launched. Read a a blog post by Sedona’s mother about the study.   A biomedical informatics team led by Andrew Rupert and Michal Kouril, PhD manages the […]

Topics

  • Cancer and Blood Diseases
  • Child Development and Behavior
  • Childhood Obesity
  • Chronic Care Networks
  • Cincinnati Walks for Kids
  • Featured Faces
  • Fetal Conditions
  • Fitness and Nutrition
  • Food Allergies
  • Ghana 2012
  • Health Care Public Policy
  • Health Care Quality
  • Health Care Reform
  • Healthy Living
  • Heart Conditions
  • Hospital Operations
  • Learning and Growing
  • Nurses Week 2012
  • Patient Family Experience
  • Patient Flow
  • Patient Safety
  • Pin of the Week
  • Rare and Complex Conditions
  • Research and Discoveries
  • Safety and Prevention
  • Share Your Story
  • Technology
  • The Young & Healthy Podcast
  • Uncategorized
  • Vaccines
  • Volunteerism
  • What's New
See All Topics
See Less Topics

Subscribe

Subscribe today to our family newsletter for tips, blog posts, podcasts and more.

Subscribe Now

Popular Posts

  • 6 Questions to Ask When Your Child Complains of Chest Pain 1.2k views

  • Lean, Purple Drank, Sizzurp: A Dangerous Teenage Drink 834 views

  • Stuttering In Young Kids: When To Be Concerned 664 views

  • Family Finds Heart Care Needed for Complex Condition 569 views

  • Social Media: What Effect Is It Having on Kids? 307 views

  • How To Increase Calories In Your Underweight Child’s Diet 296 views

About

The Cincinnati Children’s blog features thoughts and perspectives from our experts on all things pediatric health. This blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Learn More »

Contact Us
  • 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3026
  • 1-513-636-4200 | 1-800-344-2462
  • TTY: 1-513-636-4900
  • socialmedia@cchmc.org
Connect With Us
  • Newsletter Subscribe
  • CincinnatiChildrens.org
  • Contact Us

© 2009-2022 Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center