Jane Madell

Jane Madell, PhD, has a consulting practice in pediatric audiology. She is an audiologist, speech-language pathologist, and LSLS auditory verbal therapist, with a BA from Emerson College and an MA and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Her 45+ years experience ranges from Deaf Nursery programs to positions at the League for the Hard of Hearing (Director), Long Island College Hospital, Downstate Medical Center, Beth Israel Medical Center/New York Eye and Ear Infirmary as director of the Hearing and Learning Center and Cochlear Implant Center. Jane has taught at the University of Tennessee, Columbia University, Downstate Medical School, and Albert Einstein Medical School, published 7 books, and written numerous books chapters and journal articles, and is a well known international lecturer.

Featured image for “More “Yeah” for Cochlear Implants!!!”

More “Yeah” for Cochlear Implants!!!

I have cheered cochlear implants for many years as everyone knows. When cochlear implants first came out I did not believe that they could possibly work. I thought “what a ridiculous idea.” I have laughed at myself a lot about this. CI’s have changed the lives of so many people that is it difficult to believe. Clinically I have seen

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Age At Cochlear Implantation: Predicting Learning and Cognitive Abilities

There has been a lot of research which has demonstrated that with cochlear implantation, as with many other things, earlier is better. This is based on research on critical periods for brain development. Delay in auditory access results in auditory deprivation which decreases cortical plasticity over time. This effects both cognitive and linguistic development. And delays in linguistic development refers

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Classroom observation is critical

The school year is well on the way. How do we know that our children with hearing loss are getting what they need in school? Only one way – someone needs to go in and observe. If we do not observe we really do not know if they are hearing well in the classroom, if they can follow conversation, are

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Datalogging in Hearing Aids – Why It Helps

There is a lot of data which shows that children with hearing loss who use hearing technology 10 or more hours/day have better language skills than children who do not use their hearing technology for 10 hours/day. Dave Sindrey has made a wonderful video for families in early intervention to help them understand why we need to monitor technology use:

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When Does a Child Need a Remote Microphone?

I recently spoke at a conference sponsored by Phonak in Stockholm. It was a wonderful time to meet people. Fortunately, they speak English because I do not speak Swedish. I did learn a lot in spite of my limited language skills. One of the participants contacted me after the conference to ask me about using remote microphones in preschool. The

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Receiving Support in Schools

When I started working in this field (in the age of the dinosaurs) there were no services in schools for children with hearing loss. Families had to find services for children outside of school. As my career progressed things improved and services started to be available in the schools. Now things are turning around and it is again difficult to

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A Parent’s View about Getting CI’s At Later Than The Optimal Time

Today’s blog is written by Lydia Gregoret. She is an audiologist, scientist, teacher, and parent of two sons, one of whom is deaf and hears with cochlear implants. She began her career in academic research in the field of biochemistry and biophysics studying the “protein folding problem.” When her children were of school age, she focused on raising them and

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Treating Auditory Based Learning Disorders

Nina Kraus and her lab at Northwestern have done wonderful work in looking at auditory based learning disorders. They have reported that impaired auditory processing can have a significant effect of reading development. So, will a program of auditory therapy improve auditory processing and/or reading? Research has demonstrated that even a short three hour training program on phonologic awareness can

Featured image for “How Do You Know It Is Time to Move to a Cochlear Implant?”

How Do You Know It Is Time to Move to a Cochlear Implant?

I have had some conversations recently with people who expressed concern about when to move to a cochlear implant. Some were parents who were concerned about surgery. Some were parents who felt that the child should make the decision and did not want to make the decision for the child. Some were therapists who felt that if the child could

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School’s Open

It is the start of the school year and families should know what they need to watch out for. Hopefully, every child with hearing loss has an IEP or 504 plan that meets his needs. For children who have a disability but do not need a lot of services a 504 plan is sufficient but, I hear too often from