Hearing Matters Podcast

Empowering Students to Achieve their Dreams feat. Mary Ann Stefko | Scranton School for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing

October 26, 2021 Hearing Matters Season 3 Episode 38
Hearing Matters Podcast
Empowering Students to Achieve their Dreams feat. Mary Ann Stefko | Scranton School for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
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Show Notes Transcript

About the Hearing Matters Podcast
 
The Hearing Matters Podcast discusses hearing technology (more commonly known as hearing aids), best practices, and a growing national epidemic - Hearing Loss. The show is hosted by father and son - Blaise Delfino, M.S. - HIS and Dr. Gregory Delfino, CC, located in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and East Stroudsburg, PA. C-A. Blaise Delfino and Dr. Gregory Delfino treat patients with hearing loss at Audiology Services.

In this episode, Blaise Delfino speaks with Mary Ann Stefko, an interventionist at the Scranton School for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children

A Lifelong Passion

As a child, Mary Ann had a deaf friend at the Scranton School for the Deaf, whom she visited regularly. It was there she learned ASL. She knew then she wanted to work with the deaf and hard of hearing, particularly babies.

Teaching Babies to Sign

Mary Ann says teaching what’s known as “baby sign language” to children with hearing loss is vital. The non-verbal child learns simple words using hand signals, such as “milk,” “mommy” and “daddy.” By teaching baby sign language, the neural pathways needed to communicate are created. Speech is a neuro muscular process, while language is a code of shared ideas. 

Newborn Hearing Screenings are Critical

Newborn screenings were a pivotal point in the hearing healthcare field. 30 years ago, it was not uncommon for a child to be diagnosed with hearing loss for the first time at age 3, 4 or even 5. These screenings have made a huge difference for children with unilateral hearing loss. Often this type of hearing loss wasn’t diagnosed until grade school when background noise became an issue. Now children can get appropriate amplification and families learn sooner how hearing loss effects learning. Children are meeting milestones they would not have met without newborn screenings.  

Technology Has Boomed

The technology of hearing instruments has changed dramatically over the years, from large hearing aids worn on the body to today’s small, inconspicuous hearing instruments that fit in the ear. In addition, technology in general has leveled the playing field for those who have hearing loss. Deaf and hard of hearing students learn to use computers and other technology when they are in preschool. They become quite techno-savvy and have the same opportunities in all areas of life as their hearing peers.

Dr. Gregory Delfino adds that children who are identified very early and get amplification during the critical language learning period are doing great things with their lives. They don’t let their hearing loss stop them, and go on to live full, happy productive lives, including getting advanced degrees, having loving families and great jobs.

A Team Approach

It is essential that parents of hard of hearing or deaf children understand that helping their children is a team effort. Very few heard of hearing children are born to parents who expect this. Parents are encouraged to go through the process with hearing healthcare professionals. They need to work with an audiologist to get their child the best amplification possible. They also need to understand that they should not lower their expectations for their child. Given the righ

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Blaise Delfino:

You're tuned into the Hearing Matters Podcast with Dr. Gregory Delfino, and Blaise Delfino of Audiology Services and Fader Plugs. The show that discusses hearing technology, best practices, and a growing national epidemic; hearing loss. Before we kick this episode off, a special thank you to our partners Oticon, life changing technology. Sonic, every day sounds better. Starkey Hearing technologies, hear better, live better. Redux, faster, dryer smarter verified. On this episode, we are so excited to welcome Mary Ann Stefko from the Scranton School for the Deaf. Mary Ann Welcome to the Hearing Matters Podcast,

Dr. Gregory Delfino:

Welcome, Mary Ann!

Mary Ann Stefko:

Thank you so much, and thanks for having me!

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, we're gonna dive right into it. Because you have such an incredible history with regard to your career, you've accomplished so much. What inspired you to pursue a career in communication sciences? Did you grow up with parents who are deaf or hard of hearing? Where did this inspiration come from?

Mary Ann Stefko:

So my parents are hearing, I think raising me sometimes they wish there was a hearing loss, but there is none in our family. So I actually had a friend that was deaf and grew up with her. My parents were very, very supportive. From the time I was a little girl in making sure that she was included that I was able to communicate with her. This was way back in the day. So she went to the Scranton State School for the Deaf at the time. And my mom would drive me there three nights a week after school so that I could play with her. And it was there and at the knee of the deaf people who were house parents at the time in the dormitory, that I learned sign language. So I learned it growing up as a second language. My parents supported me in doing that. And when I was in high school, it was a logical choice. That's what I wanted to do. I knew that I wanted to work with deaf and hard of hearing people. I knew I wanted to work with Deaf and Hard of Hearing babies. And I am very, very excited to say that that was 34 years ago. So I'm dating myself, but it has been an absolutely incredible journey, not one that I would change ever for anything.

Blaise Delfino:

Wow, that that is absolutely incredible. Mary Ann, when you talk about sign language, essentially the importance of teaching infants baby sign, because it creates those neural pathways for them to communicate a little bit sooner because speech is that neuro muscular process language is a code in which ideas are shared. So baby sign language is really important. How essential is that to intervention working with your clients?

Mary Ann Stefko:

So it's critical. And I say it to my families all the time, from the time that their child is referred on the newborn infant hearing screening, that access to language and that ability to be proactive, and give them that exposure is, is enormous. And we're seeing a growing number of families who are responding positively in that way. Newborn infant hearing screening has been incredible. So for us, I remember early in my career, I was when I was teaching, I would see students children who were very much late identified and had no language access until maybe they came to preschool or kindergarten. Now I'm seeing babies who are six months old, who when you sign milk to them, or mommy or daddy, their little eyes light up and they're looking toward people or the objects in their environment. That's huge. Because again, as you said, making those neural pathways getting that child language access early. We know the research we know that that it's out there and it's not that parents or anybody teachers have to be fluent in ASL, baby signs, any sort of even beginning gestures. You know, we get all excited when a hearing baby waves high or waves by we want the same thing for our children with a hearing difference. And so that's really what we want to encourage parents.

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, what has your experience been like as an interventionist at the Scranton School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.

Mary Ann Stefko:

So it's been incredible, my job I tell everybody, I have the absolute best job in the world. No two days are the same. No two families are the same. No two babies are the same. And when you see little faces light up because they've understood something or because they've heard something or as you go through the journey of having a child go from a perhaps profound hearing loss diagnosis shortly after birth to when they get their first hearing aids to when they might even get an implant and you see the changes and the positive things that happen. I mean, you can't help but love your job. Who wouldn't love that every day,

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, what's so amazing, and I have a huge smile on my face right now because I can see the passion, and I can hear the passion in your voice. Thank you for all that you do for our industry for the communication sciences and disorders. Because when you are a passionate clinician, a passionate interventionist, my gosh, that has to help with carryover, I'd like to sort of back up a little bit. Can you discuss the importance of newborn hearing screenings because Dr. Delfino has been an Audiologist for over 30 years. So both of you have been serving patients in this industry for over 30 years. And newborn hearing screenings weren't always standard protocol. Now they are how essential has that then, not only to the infants and these children, but our field as a whole.

Mary Ann Stefko:

So newborn infant hearing screening, to me is one of the pivotal points in our field. It really is, you know, again, as I said, when I first got into this field, it was not uncommon to have a child who was three or four or five, who was just being diagnosed with a hearing loss. The other thing that for me, it's made a huge difference is our kiddos with a unilateral hearing loss, because again, that unilateral loss years and years ago, was not often picked up until elementary school years, when background noise became an issue. Now, we see that those children can be identified early, they can be amplified appropriately, we can work with the families to better understand how that hearing loss impacts learning. And we can all be proactive. So again, those children are now meeting milestones that they would not have had the opportunity to meet if we didn't have newborn infant hearing screening. So that for me is critical. When we didn't have a newborn infant hearing screenings, we didn't have early amplification, people just didn't know. And that's nobody's fault. People didn't know and you can't hold anything against somebody if they don't know it. But again, that early amplification, making those pathways those auditory pathways are so critical for children's language development. And again, when you see those little faces light up, the first time they sit on mom and dad's lap, and they hear something you just know, you know, you're doing the right thing.

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, out of curiosity, what do you like most about working with children who are deaf, or hard of hearing? I'm sure you love everything about it. But is there something you like the most?

Mary Ann Stefko:

I think, for me, the most satisfying thing is that, like any child, deaf and hard of hearing, children are little sponges. And so you get them and they're really a blank slate, and to watch them in a very short period of time. So my time with them is birth to three years old. And when children come to me, and they're little tiny babies, and then all of a sudden they're leaving me at three years old with a language. You just look at that. And you think that's the way it's supposed to be. That's what you want, so that they can start the next chapter of their life equipped, and that their families can can share in the journey and advocate for them. Because they've had the experience. They know what to do. They have had the training, they've had the coaching, this is not teaching anymore. This is not Mary Ann comes into your house for an hour. But when I watch parents do it and be successful, and their children make gains, you know, everybody complains about COVID. And certainly, there were a lot of challenges that we all had to face with COVID. But the one really big COVID positive and people who know me know I talk about it this way. The COVID positive was that I was able to be on zoom or I was able to be on Google. And I was able to watch moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas and child care staff, work with those children and get results. That's huge. Like that, to me is is one of the big pluses of this job.

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, you are a proud Penn State graduate

Mary Ann Stefko:

I am

Blaise Delfino:

We are

Mary Ann Stefko:

Yes

Blaise Delfino:

So from the time you graduated from Penn State University to now there's definitely been quite a technological boom when it comes to hearing technology and accessibility, how has technology positively influence the Scranton School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing? And how has that technology positively influenced your children's or your student's academic journey?

Mary Ann Stefko:

I was very, very lucky. When I went to Penn State we had the communication disorders department, communication sciences and disorders department was really speech pathology, audiology, and teacher of the deaf. So I feel like I got an amazing, amazing foundation in those three areas. I chose the teacher of the deaf path. But that doesn't mean that I didn't really get a really good dose of speech language pathology and audiology. As technology grew. So I got into this field, when we had body worn hearing aids, right, everybody looks at those and cringes, you know, now to see kids walking around with the implants and the candles, and you don't even know that they're on what a huge difference, but technology overall has leveled the playing field for our deaf and hard of hearing kids. And so again, another COVID positive has been that our children at the Scranton school are very tech savvy, from the time they're in preschool, you know, we we make sure that that's an integral part of their instruction of their everyday world, because again, through technology, our students have the same exact opportunities as any other student out there. And the more we can keep them up on technology and keep them ahead of technology, which we're very proud of doing at the Scranton school, we make sure that their futures are bright because they have all the options. So they have their own personal technology, which they understand and they use and they benefit from. They have all of the technology that is school based that they can utilize, and they can really benefit from and that only enhances them as they move forward.

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, I love the fact that you said that your students have the same opportunities because there's a statistic that there are $1.2 billion of lost us earnings due to hearing loss. So when we talk about the same opportunities, getting these students into the workforce, allowing them to do what they're passionate about what they're great at and what they love Dr. Delfino If you could just to echo this, you've been an audiologist for many years, and you've administered hundreds, if not 1000s, of newborn hearing screenings to see where the technology was to where it is now, how has that allowed you as an audiologist to really, quote unquote, up your game, because now your patients are introduced to such a new hearing world.

Dr. Gregory Delfino:

In the old days, if you would, we would discover a young child that was hearing impaired or had a unilateral hearing loss at a much later age, with newborn hearing screenings. The exciting part of that is we were able to identify them very early, we were able to get them amplification during that critical language learning period. And I've worked with some of the kids at the summit School for the Deaf and having seen these children that are hearing impaired having identified them being implanted or fit with technology and then seeing them as years have gone by It is incredible. The the sensation of having these children who we might have suspected would have an extremely difficult time with vocations are doing beautifully. Someone like Matt Hey, who is was a gentleman who lost his hearing later on in life. They don't let they don't let that stop them that progressing moving towards the vocation that they love is something that's that's innate in them. So I think allowing allowing us to step in to identify early makes all the difference in the world.

Mary Ann Stefko:

And I would just I would just echo what Dr. Delfino said. That's absolutely, absolutely my thought. The other thing though, that I really want to emphasize is that because a child has a hearing loss, there should never be lower expectations. We have access to supports and services. So keeping those expectations high, and making sure that parents and students believe you know, you mentioned the statistics, we all know the statistics from years and years ago, when there was there was a different standard for deaf and hard of hearing kids. That's not the case now. And so giving that giving students that technology boost early, continuing that technology learning as they grow, certainly we want them to know they can do whatever they want. And I agree with Dr. Delfino I've been around long enough that I've seen my students come back as young adults, and it's amazing when they say to you, Marianne, I graduated with my master's degree or Maryann meet my family or Mary Ann, I got a promotion and it's been great, those are things that really, you know, in your heart, you've done the best you could do by them.

Blaise Delfino:

Mary Ann, for parents who are raising a child or children who are deaf or hard of hearing, what advice would you give them?

Mary Ann Stefko:

So this is where the team approach comes in. Because the first thing I say to them is, this is not the journey that you planned. And we acknowledge that, you know, very few deaf and hard of hearing children are born to families who expect to child to have a child who's deaf or hard of hearing. And so to acknowledge that this is a new normal, this is different than what you planned is important. Equally as important. I say to my families, they're your baby, love them, enjoy them, appreciate them, everything else will come. I often say to my parents, it's important to be proactive. Nobody wants that referral on the newborn infant hearing screening. Nobody wants that information, but the quicker we can get parents through the process. Um, so looking at the 136 guidelines, making sure that child children have a follow up appointment at an audiologist that can serve them, making sure that they have amplification options and parents are understanding them. Those are the kinds of things I say to parents. If we hit the ground running, what they can do is going to amaze you. So again, that initial diagnosis might be hard and might be challenging, but when we work through it as a team work through it together, the possibilities are endless.

Blaise Delfino:

You're tuned in to the Hearing Matters Podcast with Dr. Gregory Delfino, and Blaise Delfino of Audiology Services and Fader Plugs, the show that discusses hearing technology, best practices, and a growing national epidemic, hearing loss. On this episode, we had Mary Ann Stefko, who is an interventionist from the Scranton School for the Deaf. Until next time, hear life's story.