Best of Both Worlds - PIP's bilingual approach

by Kathryn McCarthy, Director of Donor Relations

It’s no secret, becoming a parent is scary.  No one is ever really prepared for the demands of having a newborn, having another human solely and completely dependent on you (and for that human to eat every two hours, around the clock.) Now imagine having a child born without the ability to hear.  How will my child learn to communicate?  How will I soothe my baby? Will they be able to go to school?  Will I ever be able to tell my child I love them?

Newborns go through a lot of screening tests in the first couple of days, including one for hearing. Doctors are able to detect hearing loss early. Children develop critical speaking and language skills in their first few years so early detection is important. When a child is diagnosed with hearing loss, there are resources within the community, including the Parent Infant Program (PIP) through the Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center (HSDC). HSDC, whose mission is to educate and empower families to communicate, is one of the agencies receiving funding from United Way of Pierce County.

Being born deaf should never be a barrier to success in school or later, in life.  United Way volunteers chose to fund PIP so that, right from the beginning, children are given the best chance to be ready for kindergarten.  PIP provides tools that enable deaf children to continue to learn and grow, and for their parents to understand their special needs.

While the Center serves all ages, PIP provides early intervention services, working with families of deaf, deaf-blind and hard of hearing children from birth to age three. The program utilizes a bilingual education approach with American Sign Language and spoken/written English. The PIP team works with families to establish early communication and strengthen bonding. Services are provided in a family’s natural setting to develop a child’s cognitive abilities and encourage acquisition of world knowledge using materials and toys within the homes. Providing infants and children with hearing loss early access to language builds a foundation for a lifetime of learning.

For the team at the Hearing, Speech and Deafness Center - PIP is personal.  Program Director Teresa Davenport has two siblings who went through the PIP program.  Director of Development, Cherylyn McRae’s son also went through the PIP program.  Both experienced firsthand how critical PIP was to their families. Their experiences lead them to their work today and drive them to make the program the best it can be for the children and families they serve.

PIP services include: Home visits, parent education and support groups, celebrate reading nights, bilingual kid’s club playgroups, American Sign Language (ASL) instruction, the nationally recognized Shared Reading Project and a resource library.

Serving children and their families living in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties, PIP was established in 1952. This nationally-recognized program utilizes a bilingual ASL and spoken/written English approach. Find our more: Parent Infant Program