AUDIOLOGY AND SPEECH PATHOLOGY THERAPY IN AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED (CEDAU)

Ano: 2013 | Volume: 17 | Número: Suplemento

Autores: Antonio FL, Faure A, Melo IMM, Buffa MJMB, Silva-comerlatto MP, Fidêncio VLD, et al.

Resumo Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: To describe speech pathology therapy and audiology in the rehabilitation of children with a cochlear implant (CI) and/or hearing aids guided by aural rehabilitation (AR). CASE REPORT: The Educational Center for Hearing-impaired Children (CEDAU) is a program of the Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais of the University of São Paulo which rehabilitates children with a CI and/or hearing aids. The objectives of the CEDAU are to develop hearing skills; encourage the acquisition and expansion of oral language; enable communication competence; encourage the development of reading and writing skills; integrate the child into regular education; guide teachers and educators; and conduct guidance and family counseling. The CEDAU has an interdisciplinary team formed by professionals in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology, pedagogy, psychology, and social assistance. The AR session is individualized, administered twice weekly, and sessions last for 50 min. Patients are attended to by 2 audiologists and speech pathologists of the hospital and 6 graduate students. These professionals are trained in AR. Thirty-nine children used cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. CONCLUSION: The intensive therapy of speech pathology and audiology allied with other professional fields with daily and interdisciplinary care that is extended to the family and school environments is able to improve the auditory, communication, and interpersonal relationship skills of children. The exchange of information and knowledge among the professionals involved causes the work to be well integrated and directed to one OBJECTIVE: the improvement of the quality of life of a child and of everyone around them.