Relationships with Speech-language Pathologists

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hannahrae89

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Hi,
I'm Hannah, a student taking ASL 2 at a university in Texas. I thought this section would be appropriate for the question I have. What are some of your experiences with speech-language pathologists whether good or bad? Was their oral speech approach respectful? Basically I'd just like an overview of what kind of relationships many of you may have had with any speech-language pathologists. Thanks!
 
hI Hannahrae89: Whether my experiences at Canadian Hearing Society/Toronto fits what you are seeking? Over a 15 year period I participated in their "Coping/Dealing with Hearing Loss" classes. The classes were 2 hours long over 6 to 8 week period. A couple times a week. The subject matter was altered a number of times based on prior class discussions. I learned a great deal and highly appreciatively of their knowledge freely given with no "snide remarks" towards the "deaf/Deaf/DEAF".

When I became bilateral DEAF in December/06 and started the process on whether I "fit the criteria of getting an Implant"-Sunnybrook/Toronto--- I had the value of their counsel-much appreciated. I was successful- the Implant operation happened July 12, 2007.

Implanted A B Harmony activated Aug/07
 
Most of these people are deaf, or close to it. Many have never heard speech. Most would not be able to understand spoken words. A large number of them use ASL exclusively as their language. A lot of them are not in favor of learning speech, since they are quite literate as ASL users.

Not surprised that "drphil" would weigh in with experience in this topic. He is commonly referred to as having audist views. I make no distinctions due to the fact I am not deaf yet. It would be wrong for me, due to that. However, I have always wanted to ask him something: Drphil, do you receive any compensation or dividend for the use of Sunnybrook/Toronto or Implanted A B Harmony in your posts?
 
Well, my son recently had his speech therapist say that he didn't "need" sign language.

That would be in the, "bad" category.

If you're considering going into SLP, I'd recommend always keeping in mind that you need to respect one's preferred mode of communication.
 
I had speech therapy from kindergarten through 12th grade, twice a week for an hour each time. It wasn't as intensive as what many deaf people go through, because I only had to correct my sibilant sounds. I had 4 SLPs in my life, and the relationship with them really depended on the personality of each individual therapist. If she (it was always women; I've never even met a male SLP/audiologist) was nice to me, I didn't mind it. My first SLP was lousy, and I hated going to see her. I felt like a guinea pig. The second was okay, but not great. I didn't like going to see her, but can't say I hated it.

From junior high to high school graduation, I had the same SLP, and she was great-- very nice and encouraging. She helped me a lot with my vocabulary and verbal confidence, and she was very supportive and believed in me.
 
I took speech therapy for years. It was fucking boring. Why can't speech therapists just ADMIT that instead of hyperfocusing on making dhh kids speak normally, it would be a better idea to equipt kids with a full toolbox of tools....meaning yes speech, but ALSO the skills of sign. I caught up very quickly with language, but my speech is still very deaf, and I still have modualtion and enuncuiation issues as well.
 
My daughter had 2 different speech therapists and hated it totally. It was one of them who told the school principal that she would be better served in an "institution". We got a lot of good exercises out of it, she does have a 60% now, understandability of speech, but has said that if I ever bring it up again, she will commit suicide. That's how bad it was for her. She is now 17.
 
hannahrae89 said:
Hi,
I'm Hannah, a student taking ASL 2 at a university in Texas. I thought this section would be appropriate for the question I have. What are some of your experiences with speech-language pathologists whether good or bad? Was their oral speech approach respectful? Basically I'd just like an overview of what kind of relationships many of you may have had with any speech-language pathologists. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Did you see the name of this forum ? I think you first need to learn more about the deaf community before becoming a speech-language pathologists. I had speech speech-language pathologists but I not going answer your questions because you're using the wrong forum .
 
KristinaB said:
My daughter had 2 different speech therapists and hated it totally. It was one of them who told the school principal that she would be better served in an "institution". We got a lot of good exercises out of it, she does have a 60% now, understandability of speech, but has said that if I ever bring it up again, she will commit suicide. That's how bad it was for her. She is now 17.
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That's terrible that she had such negative experiences she feels that strongly about it. Glad she has a mom who respects her wishes...
 
KristinaB said:
My daughter had 2 different speech therapists and hated it totally. It was one of them who told the school principal that she would be better served in an "institution". We got a lot of good exercises out of it, she does have a 60% now, understandability of speech, but has said that if I ever bring it up again, she will commit suicide. That's how bad it was for her. She is now 17.
Click to expand...

I think speech therapists need to understand that while some of the language learning games are fun, the mechancical bit is SO beyond boring, and really doesn't equalize dhh kids 100%....we cannot approach spoken language the way a hearing kid can at ALL! That would be like saying just b/c a kid with mild cerebal palsy can walk well, they can run in a race.
 
I can see that some people have taken offense to you asking this question here, but I'm not personally offended and I will share my experience with speech therapy.

First of all, make sure you never, EVER discourage sign language, and always do your best to educate parents about why it is good to let their child learn/use sign language along with speech.

That said, as a child I HATED speech therapy. It was SO boring. The problem is no one takes it seriously enough when a child is bored. They just dismiss it. But it is a big problem, because speech therapy is something that goes on for a long time so after a while it is no better than outright torture for some kids. And that was the case with me.

Sure I speak almost as well as a hearing person and I am thankful that is the case but would I allow it to happen again if I could go back in time and change anything? No. It wasn't really worth it. I think if I needed/wanted to learn to speak so that hearing people could understand me, I could have just as easily sought out a speech therapist and learned as an adult. I feel it was unnecessary and perhaps even cruel to inflict speech therapy on me as a kid when I didn't want to do it. I mean, I was getting made fun of for the way I talked and I knew speech therapy would help with that, but I still didn't want to do it. That's how bad it was, and not just because it was boring, but also because it was a reminder that I wasn't "measuring up" to someone idea of what I "should have been" - the fact that one of those people was my mom made it much more painful.

Additionally my mother made it worse by INCESSANTLY correcting my speech. It made me not want to talk. But somehow, my being in speech therapy seemed to make her think it was OK for her to do that. Hint: it wasn't OK. So one more thing you should do is caution parents against doing this, tell them not to correct their child's speech and leave the speech therapy only to you.

And do your best to make speech therapy fun and then if the child still isn't enjoying it, explain to the parents that it needs to be something they want to do, because it is a lot more psychologically damaging to force speech therapy than most hearing parents think it is (and like I said, not just because it's boring, either - but because it's DEMORALIZING.) But at least if you make it fun, it may make the child WANT to do it and then it won't be demoralizing.

Hope that helps.
 
Re: post #4-saywhatkid:I am not "audist" but bilateral DEAF since December 20, 2006. Labels don't change conditions.

I have described my deafness as silence-which it is. That is why I started the process of Cochlear Implant consideration.-successful.

I am aware not exactly as"described in ideology/culture" that way.

I don't receive "compensation/dividends" for mentioning the fact I was Implanted July 12, 2007 at Sunnybrook/Toronto with an Advanced Bionics-Harmony Cochlear Implant. This is factual.

Implanted A B Harmony activated Aug/07
 
drphil said:
Re: post #4-saywhatkid:I am not "audist" but bilateral DEAF since December 20, 2006. Labels don't change conditions.

I have described my deafness as silence-which it is. That is why I started the process of Cochlear Implant consideration.-successful.

I am aware not exactly as"described in ideology/culture" that way.

I don't receive "compensation/dividends" for mentioning the fact I was Implanted July 12, 2007 at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxxxxxx with an xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx - xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx. This is factual.
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Thank you for your reply. :wave:
 
Never had good relationships with them due to the constant correction and criticism of my sppech skills which made me feel ashamed of myself.
 
shel90 said:
Never had good relationships with them due to the constant correction and criticism of my sppech skills which made me feel ashamed of myself.
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But it was for your own good! How can you survive without speech?

Obviously I am joking with you. :P
 
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