Aural Rehabilitation

The goal of aural rehabiliation is to alleviate the difficulties assosiated with hearing loss and to minimize the consequences. Regardless of which listening device you choose for your child, it is essential that he/she receive aural rehabiliation in order to maximize the benefits.

(Missed the information on listening devices? See Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3)

Goals and Targeted Skills

• Auditory training
• Structured and unstructured listening practice
• Comunication strategies training
• Teaching strategies that minimize communication difficulties
• Speech-Language therapy (particularly important for children!)
• Training that emphasizes developing strategies to monitor one's own speech production and developing vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatics.
• Speechreading Training
• Training speech recognition via both auditory and visual channels 
• Inservice training
• Specialized training for other professionals who interact with your child, such as teachers and caretakers.

Accessing Aural Rehabilitation Services
Aural rehabilitation can be provided by an audiologist, a speech-language pathologist, or a teacher for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Aural Rehabilitation services for your child may be provided by:

• Schools
• Private Clinics
• University Clinics
• Hospitals
• Birth-to-Three services

Ask your physician or audiologist about services in your area.

In addition, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides a directory of speech and hearing professionals. Click here to find someone near you who can help.