AUDITORY- VERBAL THERAPY (AVT)
Building spoken langauge through listening
AVT is an evidence-based, family-centered approach that empowers individuals with hearing loss to develop spoken language through listening. Recognized as the gold standard in Western countries (U.S., Australia, Denmark, etc.), AVT delivers proven outcomes1,2:
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Children in AVT programs develop age-appropriate language skills on par with their hearing peers3,4,5,6.
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Children in AVT achieve educational outcomes on par with hearing children7.
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Children in AVT outperform those who have followed a traditional oral or total communication approach in speech-language, speech intelligibility and literacy outcomes8.
Our Services
Infants and children
We enhance listening, speech, language, cognitive, and communication skills through:
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Play-based interventions tailored to developmental stages
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Parent coaching with practical take-home strategies
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Milestone tracking for listening, speech, language, cognition and social communication
Teens and adults
We maximize hearing technology potential for hearing aid/cochlear implant users through:
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Personalized auditory training to rewire your brain for sound interpretation
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Daily listening practice strategies that fit your routine
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Technology optimization through collaboration with your audiologist
The Critical Window for Brain Development
A child’s brain exhibits peak neuroplasticity before age 3.5, making this period pivotal for cognitive and linguistic growth. During this golden window of neural development:
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Auditory stimulation serves as vital "nutrition" for building brain connectivity.
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Early sound exposure shapes lifelong listening, language, and learning pathways.
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Timely hearing technology + AVT maximizes cognitive and speech development.
References
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Binos, P., Nirgianaki, E., & Psillas, G. (2021). How effective is auditory–verbal therapy (AVT) for building language development of children with cochlear implants? A systematic review. Life, 11(3), 239.
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Noel,A., Manikandan, M., & Kumar, P (2023) Efficacy of auditory verbal therapy in children with cochlear implantation based on auditory performance – A systematic review, Cochlear Implants International, 24:1, 43-53, DOI: 10.1080/14670100.2022.2141418
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Dornan, DI, Hickson, L., Murdoch, B., & Houston, T. (2007). Outcomes of an auditory-verbal program for children with hearing loss: A comparative study with a matched group of children with normal hearing. The Volta Review, 107(1).
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Dornan, D., Hickson, L., Murdoch, B., & Houston, T. (2009). Longitudinal study of speech perception, speech, and language for children with hearing loss in an auditory-verbal therapy program. The Volta Review, 109(2-3), 61-85.
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Fulcher, A., Purcell, AA, Baker, E., & Munro, N. (2012). Listen up: children with early identified hearing loss achieve age-a propriety speech/language outcomes by 3 years-of-age. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 76(12), 1785-1794.
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Rhoades, EA, & Chisholm, TH (2000). Global language progress with an auditory-verbal approach for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Volta Review, 102(1), 5-24.
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Hogan, S. (2023) Stepping Stones to Literacy. Retrieved from: https://www.avuk.org/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=63518c59-4268-4b1f-a868-921d29cdeeb3 [Accessed 11 September 2023]
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Thomas, ES, & Zwolan, TA (2019) Communication Mode and Speech and Language Outcomes of Young Cochlear Implant Recipients: A Comparison of Auditory-Verbal, Oral Communication, and Total Communication, Otology & Neurotology 40 (10) p e975-e983 doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000002405