WA State EHDDI Learning Community Fall 2024 Webinar

Title:

Behavioral Development and Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing:

Why children do what they do and what you can do about it

Description:

This webinar is intended for professionals who support young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and will focus on child behaviors including: (1) typical behavioral development and “what to expect” in children 0-5 years of age; (2) how to support or manage child behaviors that may interfere with Early Intervention, device use, or assessments; and (3) behaviors that are may be indicative of additional issues and what to do when they arise. This session will be offered by a psychologist who specializes in working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families and will highlight developmental behavioral science, incorporate clinical case examples, and offer evidence-informed guidance applicable for professionals working in the EHDDI system.

Presenter:  Amy Szarkowski

Amy Szarkowski, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in working with, understanding, and improving the lives of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) and their families. She has worked clinically with this population for nearly two decades, providing psychological services and working as a member of an interprofessional team to support families and children who are DHH. Szarkowski is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston, as well as Faculty for the LEND program (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Szarkowski’s educational background includes 2 bachelor’s degrees (Psychology and Health Promotion/Fitness Management), 3 master’s degrees (Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Business Administration) and a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Amy is a member of the Core Team for Fostering Joy -Deaf/Hard of Hearing, which aims to promote joyful interactions between caregivers and their DHH children, as well as the professionals that support them.

1. Describe to a family or a colleague the importance of understanding “behavioral development” in fostering the growth of a child who is deaf.
2. Provide a minimum of two suggestions for supporting positive behaviors with a child, ages 0-5 (relevant to EI, device use, or assessments)
3. List at least three potentially “problem behaviors” that might need to be monitored to determine whether a child who is deaf may have additional issues.

Disclosure: Amy Szarkowski has no financial on non-financial conflicts of interest in relation to this presentation. The WSELC webinar is funded by the Washington State Department of Health EHDDI program.

Continuing Education hours are available for live participation in this webinar: both ASHA CEUs and OSPI CECH hours are available if requested in your registration.