MED-EL Announces BRIDGE Aural Rehab Program for CI Users

Editor: MED-EL has recognized the need to provide formalized cochlear implant (CI) users with a formal program to help them get the greatest value from their new CIs. Here's their press release.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MED-EL Corporation announced today the launch of BRIDGE for Better Communication, a program especially for hearing loss professionals, schools, cochlear implant users and parents to help close the gap between implantation and the development of improved listening skills and spoken communication. The program, developed by MED-EL, was announced during the medical meeting CI2007 in Charlotte, NC, at the Aural Habilitation Seminar: Pediatric Assessment and Habilitation.

BRIDGE for Better Communication consists of a wide variety of products, resources and tools for adult and pediatric habilitation, assessment, and device management, including the recently-released My LittlEars Diary and the LittlEars Auditory Questionnaire. LittlEars materials are designed to assess age-appropriate auditory behavior of children in the preverbal development phase. Many of the resource materials are available at no charge and can be downloaded for instant access.

The assessment process begins with identifying the implant user's current skills, setting realistic expectations and goals, and ensuring the best possible device function and listening skills each day. A variety of habilitation and assessment materials can help guide and motivate both the user and the professional toward achieving the best possible communicative competence for each patient.

"Through the company's many years of research and innovation surrounding cochlear implants, MED-EL has identified a number of unmet needs among hearing professionals, teachers, parents and cochlear implant users," said Darla Franz, MA CCC-A, Director of Education and Corporate Communications, MED-EL. "BRIDGE for Better Communication strives to address those needs through education and training to better serve the hearing loss community. We remain committed to continued development of new tools and educational resources that are easily accessible."

Developed in part by teachers and therapists, the program strives to address needs along a developmental continuum, from early intervention in children, to teens, to adults working to maximize the benefits of their cochlear implant. Parents of children with cochlear implants also provided feedback into tools that enhance their relationships with teachers and, ultimately, are designed to facilitate positive learning experiences.

Three new BRIDGE products, the Mainstream Assessment of Readiness for Children Over Five (M.A.R.C.O.F.), the Picture Perfect Preschool and the Murat Early Reader Series were launched at CI2007's Aural Habilitation Seminar.

"We identified a need for more tools than standardized test scores and "gut-level instinct" when transitioning children who are deaf into mainstream education. M.A.R.C.O.F. was developed after more than 15 years of working with children who have cochlear implants. It evaluates a wide spectrum of skills, and will ideally help educators make more insightful decisions," said Cynthia S. Robinson, M.Ed. CED, author of M.A.R.C.O.F. and Head Teacher at the Clarke School for the Deaf, Jacksonville.

BRIDGE also includes materials developed by leaders in the hearing development field, including:

- The Checklist of Auditory Communications Skills, "user friendly" checklist developed by Nancy Caleffe-Schenck and Darla Franz.

- Identifying Early Phonological Needs in Children with Hearing Loss, by Elaine P. Payden and Carolyn J. Brown, an excellent clinical tool designed to assess spontaneous use of first level phonological patterns in young children.

- AUDITRAIN, SPEECHTRAX AND SYNTRAIN, developed by Geoff Plant, popular with professionals working with teens and young adults.

For more information, or to download a catalogue of BRIDGE for Better Communications materials, visit http://www.medel.com, or email educators@medelus.com.

About MED-EL Corporation