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I’ve been learning- and unlearning!- a lot about integrating inclusivity and disability advocacy within audiology. Over the next few episodes, we’ll explore these ideas more. 

On today’s episode, you’ll hear from Dr. Carol Flexer. Dr. Flexer has been writing, teaching, and presenting for decades on the connection between hearing and the organization of the auditory brain. She is a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of Akron and Northeast, Ohio  (Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium (NOAC). Additionally, she is the author of many books.

Show Notes:

5:25 – Dr. Flexer initially wanted to be a nurse. She then decided to focus on public speaking. Within this major, she got hooked on a course that featured a two week lecture on audiology. She eventually worked with Doreen Pollack at University of Denver.  The rest is history!

14:00 – The decision regarding whether to communicate with your DHH child via Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) or through Sign Language, is a choice made by one’s parents. If you choose listening and spoken language, Dr. Flexer has put together a whole narrative on the logic chain of what system has to be in place, from understanding about the brain to the absolute must use of technology. Though on the flip side, she believes that if you want to communicate via sign language, you and everyone in your family needs to become fluent in sign language.

17:00 – DHH students, even with the use of hearing aids/ cochlear implants may experience language deprivation. It’s the responsibility of audiologists and educators to monitor the child’s progress.  

22:00 – The integration of primary and secondary auditory areas up through the midbrain is a process that occurs in early childhood, making early intervention crucial. 

26:00 –  Dr. Flexor explains acoustic access in the environment, saying “the ear is the doorway to the brain.”

31:00 – The specific communication method that parents choose for their child, whether through Sign Language or an auditory-verbal approach with the help of technological tools, needs to be implemented correctly and efficiently. ‘Although parents do not have control over the natural (or biological) outcome/s of their child’s diagnosis, it is up to the professionals to support the ways in which parents choose to communicate with their child.

To support the All About Audiology podcast, visit our Patreon website here: https://www.patreon.com/allaboutaudiology

For more resources and research visit:

All About Audiology Website 

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Check out Carol’s website here: http://www.carolflexer.com/

Listen Next/Related Episodes:

Ep 15: All About Sign Language with Kimberly Sanzo from Language First

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