Alona Hlotka, specialist in auditory-verbal therapy and international expert in working with children with special needs, explained how parental involvement affects a child’s development, what methods are best to use at home, and how to create an environment which is conducive to speech and hearing development
The number of children with developmental disabilities continues to grow. According to the most recent data, 7.5 million children ages 3 to 21 were enrolled in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in the 2022-2023 school year, representing 15 percent of the total enrollment. This is the highest enrollment in history.
A recent study conducted in January by the New Jersey Department of Education highlights the crucial role of parents in the education and development of children with special needs. In correctional work, their involvement is essential, and only through close collaboration between specialists and parents can be achieved truly significant and rapid progress, says aural pedagogue, speech and language therapist, practical psychologist, and member of the Association of Practicing Speech Therapists of Ukraine, Alona Hlotka.
Read the interview with the expert to find out how to accept the child’s peculiarities, create a comfortable environment for the development of speech and auditory perception, as well as what techniques and exercises can be used at home to increase the effectiveness of remedial work.
— Alona, you have helped hundreds of families from Eastern Europe, and many of the children you have worked with have successfully adapted and integrated into society. How do you help parents overcome fears and anxieties related to their child’s diagnosis? They probably often feel helpless and don’t know where to start.
— Unfortunately, you are right. When parents are faced with their child’s diagnosis, they often find themselves alone with their fears, unsure of where to turn or what to do next. Many of them go through different emotional stages: first, shock and denial, when they seek to verify the diagnosis, hoping it is a mistake; then anger and frustration, followed by attempts to find a «miracle» solution — turning to psychics, innovative procedures, or questionable treatment methods. During this process, precious time that could have gone to remedial work and the child’s progress can be lost. It is very important that parents accept the situation as soon as possible and begin to act. Most often it is the lack of speech that worries them, and the first specialist they turn to is a speech therapist. In my work, I pay special attention to explain to parents in detail what is going on with the child, why certain examinations are necessary and what steps will help to make progress. I always recommend trusted specialists and try to give parents support so they don’t feel helpless. The most important thing to understand is that we live in an age of advanced technology and accessible information. With timely intervention, active parental involvement, and the right choice of specialists, it is possible to achieve significant results, and in some cases even bring the child’s development closer to the age norm.
— As a specialist in working with children with combined disabilities, you help families to build an effective learning and developmental system. What techniques and exercises can parents use on their own to support their child’s progress between sessions with a specialist?
— Reinforcement of material at home between classes is an important part of remedial work. Without regular practice, it is more difficult for a child to learn new skills, so systematization and consistency are crucial. I always try to base my lessons on the child’s interests, because when he or she is engaged, learning is easier and more effective. Preschoolers learn best through play, so for home lessons, I recommend simple educational games that help reinforce skills in a natural and familiar way. At the same time, many parents have difficulty practicing with their children, because the child does not perceive them as teachers. In this case, games that are selected taking into account the interests and needs of the child, but at the same time include important corrective tasks, become the best solution. This approach makes the lessons not only useful, but also comfortable, helping the child to learn without unnecessary stress, and helping parents to feel more confident in this process.
— You have developed the acoustic games «Bees», «Mice», «Bugs» and «Geometric Shapes», which are in demand among Ukrainian professionals working with hearing and speech development disorders. Can parents use them for home lessons?
— Yes, of course. My games were originally created so that they could be used not only by specialists, but also by parents for practicing at home. Moreover, the children themselves often show great interest in them. Many babies who have not yet spoken, after the lessons hugged the toys tightly, did not want to give them away or pulled their mother’s hand, pointing to the game. Those who could already express their desires in words, directly asked their parents to buy the same one. There were even cases where I lent a game to a family for skill reinforcement at home, and by the next session, the parents had already ordered one for themselves because they saw how much it helped their child’s development and made practicing at home easier.
— How can parents create a home environment that supports the development of their child’s speech and hearing?
— The primary goal of our work is to help children develop speech as a means of communication, which is essential for successful social integration. It is important that all adults around the child contribute to creating a speech-rich environment. To do this, it is necessary to draw the child’s attention to the sounds of the surrounding world – the noise of the wind, cars, drops of water, the voices of people, the sounds of animals. Parents should verbalize their actions and describe what is happening around them to create a natural need for communication. If a child wants a toy but cannot reach it, it is better not to hand it over immediately, but rather to encourage the child to express the request, even through gestures. It is important not to anticipate the child’s needs but to create situations where they need to communicate, using words or other available means. When speaking with a child, it is helpful to use short, clear sentences and, if necessary, speak slightly more slowly and distinctly. For children with hearing impairments who have not yet received a cochlear implant, it is essential to wear hearing aids consistently. Overall, the entire environment should encourage the child to use speech not just to repeat words, but to engage in meaningful communication and express their needs effectively.
— Alona, you have extensive experience participating in professional conferences, such as the International Conference «Modern Practical Speech Therapy: New Strategies», and you are well acquainted with various approaches to correction. What should parents consider when choosing a specialist for their child?
— First and foremost, it is essential for parents to trust the specialist and be willing to follow their recommendations. This applies not only to correctional work but also to referrals for additional assessments or consultations with other necessary specialists. Children with developmental differences often have co-occurring challenges that can affect not only speech and hearing but also cognitive development, communication and emotional regulation, attention, behavior, and motor skills. For effective correction, multiple specialists may need to be involved, including a speech therapist, an auditory specialist, a special education teacher, a neuropsychologist, a rehabilitation therapist, a behavioral therapist, and a specialist in emotional interaction development. When all professionals work in a coordinated manner and parents actively participate in the process, the best results can be achieved. Of course, this is the ideal scenario, and not all families have access to every necessary specialist. That is why modern correctional educators must possess a diverse set of skills and knowledge to address different aspects of a child’s development and provide the most effective support possible.
