Helpful Reading
If you have (or suspect you have) a hearing impaired child here are a few books to help you navigate the many questions you may have. All are available from Amazon.The Late Talker: What to do if Your Child Isn’t Talking Yet (Dr. Marilyn C. Agin, Lisa F. Geng, Malcolm Nicholl) is balanced with maternal perspective and doctor’s experience and gives readers advice on how to find the right therapy and therapist; how to negotiate with school boards, teachers, and language specialists; and myriad other practical answers to the questions that any concerned parent would ask. One reviewer of this book commented that it helped her learn to advocate for her son as she navigated the future.The Parents Guide to Speech and Language Problems (Debbie Feit) is written by an author who has two children with speech disorders and knows first-hand what it takes to survive (and thrive) as a family. The book offers not only the most up-to-date medical information but also advice and encouragement from a mom who’s been there. One reviewer of the book commented that it is written in such a way that it is helpful and not overwhelming.The Big Book of Exclamations (Teri Kaminski Peterson, Chris McAllister) is a children’s book designed to promote speech sound development for late talkers and children with apraxia, autism, and other language and articulation disorders. The book is written by a speech pathologist and designed to promote speech sound development and imitation of gestures, sounds and words. One reviewer of the book comments that it “perfectly explains to parents how to engage their young children during story time” which is an important time!Let’s talk Together: Home Activities for Early Speech and Language Development (Cory Poland, Amy Chouinard) incorporates language-based activities into daily routines which allows parents and caregivers opportunities for repetition and the flexibility to practice these activities at a time convenient for them. The material is presented in a fun but natural manner which helps children relax so there’s a higher chance of participation and learning. One reviewer of the book commented that the activities all have a similar format and they’re easy to do.