2: My Dad! Journeying with a Child Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Welcome to The Sound Steps Podcast:Conversations in Auditory-Verbal Therapy,  exploring fluent spoken language development, conversational competence, clear speech, and age-appropriate development, in children who are deaf or hard of hearing, through the transformative power of listening and parent-centred Auditory-Verbal Therapy, one sound step at a timeIn this second episode, Shefali Shah is joined by Timothy D’Souza, a father of a child with bilateral cochlear implants from her in-person practice at Sound Steps, who speaks openly about the denial and heart‑wrenching pain of his son’s diagnosis of hearing loss. Alongside profound deafness, his son faced additional challenges: thin auditory nerves and Sensory Integration Difficulty.This deep conversation highlights the importance of prioritising yourself, parenting without guilt, so that you can fully support your child who is deaf or hard of hearing.From the early days of denial to celebrating his hearing impaired son’s constant chatter, Timothy shares how informed decisions, consistency and a creative approach to Auditory-Verbal Therapy, shaped their journey. Seamlessly integrating goals in occupational therapy and speech into weekly targets in Auditory-Verbal Therapy, made this a joyful process, fostering a strong, playful father-son bond that endures. This conversation is both poignant and filled with laughter, through the years of teenager development, celebrating the emergence of a compassionate adolescent who is appreciated at school for his empathy. This is The Sound Steps Podcast.🎧 Top Tips from Episode 2 Enjoy the process. Make therapy fun and creative. Make yourself a priority. Taking time out without guilt is energising. Raise your child to be the best version of himself. Resist comparisons. Your child is unique. Focus on appreciation, not pity. AVT builds a life‑long relationship. Invest in it with intention. ⏱️ Time Stamps00:00:00    Introduction    00:01:33    90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents00:01:43    Choosing Auditory-Verbal Therapy00:02:18    AVT facilitates age-appropriate development00:02:43    Abundant choices open up through AVT00:03:09   Early identification, sophisticated modern hearing technology and appropriate services00:03:17   A life free of limitations00:03:25   Show notes, Top Tips Time Stamps00:03:35   Links and Contact details00:03:43   Resources00:03:47   Diagnosis: Thin auditory nerve and Sensory Integration Difficulties 00:04:15   Introducing our guest on this episode: Timothy D’souza00:04:40   Moving on00:05:38   Denial to action: facing the facts00:06:42   Action00:07:36  Raising your child to be the best version of himself 00:08:13   Isolation00:08:15   The effects of poor speech intelligibility00:09:45   Overcoming the challenges through consistent practice00:09:54    Touch sensitivity00:10:14    Integrating Occupational Therapy and Speech goals into AVT00:11:39    Changing perspective00:12:45   The value of games00:14:21    Consistency00:15:00    The value of self-care for parents00:18:31    Bonding00:18:41    Handling tantrums00:19:48    Consistency and managing behaviour00:20:56    An extra-ordinary relationship00:21:46    Empathy and emotional maturity00:22:26    An exceptionally special bond00:23:11    Reflection00:23:49   Upcoming episode: Auditory-Verbal Beginnings🔗 Links💬 Submit a question to the show: https://www.soundsteps.uk/podcast-ask-question/ 📧 Contact Shefali directly: [email protected] 👩‍⚕️ Face-to-face AVT (London): https://soundsteps.uk 🌐 Online AVT via AVT Direct: https://avtdirect.com 🎓 AVT training for professionals: https://learnavt.com📘 Resources: Roley, S.S., Mailoux, Z., Miller-Kuhaneck, H.M., Glennon,T (2007), Understanding Ayres’ Sensory Integration, Sacred Heart University, OT Practice.12(17):CE-1-CE-7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Haw5m3Zxvy4  In the Clinic with Dr. A Jean Ayres| The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation