Early Intervention:
The Parent Perspective

A Parents Wish List for Early Interventionists

Unbiased information about communication options.
Provide us with the information we need to make well informed decisions.
Respect the choices that families make. Let us, the parents, make the final decision.

When we ask for your professional opinion, don't be afraid to give it..but please don't deliver your opinion in "absolutes".
Give us books, pamphlets, phone numbers, support groups, anything that will be helpful to us in understanding our child's hearing loss and where to find help.
If we ask a question, and you don't have the answer, help us find the resource where we can find the answer.
As children and parents grow, their choices and need for information grows.

Do I believe that families bring unique expertise to our relationship?
Do I believe in the importance of family participation in decision making for early intervention?
Do I believe that family members' perspectives and opinions are as important as professionals?

Parents should drive the process.
Early Intervention ultimately comes down to "relationship"
Trust is established through a basic premise of respect toward the parents, their values, and culture.

"What good does it do to teach a child to speak,
if you give him nothing to say?"
or
"Deafness is not about hearing, but about communication"

Choosing a method is a process that is flexible, ongoing, and changeable.
Early Identification of Deafness allows families a window of time to explore communication options.
The communication mode you choose is less significant in itself than how well it suits a particular child.