Sounding Board

Summer Schools in America

Enquiry: I AM PLANNING TO GO TO USA CALIFORNIA TO JOHN TRACY CLINIC, FOR THREE-WEEK SUMMER CAMP FOR MY SON, WHO HAS A BILATERAL COCHLEAR IMPLANT. MY SON WAS BORN DEAF AND MUTE , AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DEAFNESS AT THE AGE OF 1YEAR 8 MONTHS .HE WAS A NON HEARING AID USER AND RECEIVED HIS 1ST COCHLEAR IMPLANT AT THE AGE OF 2 YEARS AND 2ND I YEAR 6 MONTHS LATER. NOW HE IS 4 YEARS 2 MONTHS AND HAS MADE VERY GOOD PROGRESS AND HE IS NOW AT SENTENCE LEVEL AND MAKES LONG 4-5 LETTER SENTENCES. MY QUESTION IS WILL OUR TRIP TO JOHN TRACY WILL HELP US IN IMPROVING HIS LEVEL ANY FURTHER.

Reply: The John Tracy Clinic has been going since 1942 when it was founded by the mother of a profoundly deaf child. They specialize in developing language in deaf children aged under 5. Their summer schools are aimed at identifying the strengths and needs of children aged 2 to 5. Three weeks of intensive activities aimed at promoting language will certainly have a positive impact on your child but it may be the additional sessions offered to adults giving ideas on how to help your child to fulfil his potential which will be the most useful. To some extent the benefits accrued will depend on how much support you have received from local services in terms of rehabilitation. Implantation is only the start of the process, your management of and interaction with the child after this will be crucial. If you have not been able to access that sort of input through your local services, these adult sessions will be of particular value and would certainly help you to help your son make further progress throughout his childhood and beyond. Meeting and talking to talking with other families will also be very stimulating.

Posted on May 1, 2009 09:00