We're Going National!

I've known about this for a while, and have been meaning to post about it. Somehow, though, I got so busy with just living life that I never did post it. I have a few minutes right now while my children are quietly plotting to take over the world. Given the choice between showering alone and posting about the National EHDI Convention, I chose to post. I can shower sometime next week right before I bail the kids out of jail, right?

For those who are unsure what EHDI stands for, it's Early Hearing Detection and Intervention. It's a topic which is close to my heart because I have two children who are prime examples of the benefits of early detection of hearing loss. I believe in it so much that I sit on the Texas Deaf and Hard of Hearing Leadership Council: Birth to Three. I also spend what free time I do have working to educate pre-school teachers and anyone involved with young children about ECI, early hearing loss detection, and anything else which falls into that arena. And I LOVE it!!! It's my personal form of therapy. For me, it gives my sons' hearing loss purpose.

This year, the national EHDI convention will be hosted near us!!! This is a HUGE deal. Professionals from several arenas all which interface with families of young children with hearing loss will be there. Pediatricians, audiologists, oralists, Deaf cultural leaders, teachers, and early intervention specialists will all be in attendance. The really exciting part?? The King and I will be speaking there, too!!! Finally, I feel like I have a chance to share my knowledge with people who can actually do something about it.

We will be part of a panel discussion about parent driven early intervention resources. We've pulled together the team of people who worked with us and the Beast to reach the goals we set for him, and will creating a program to instruct others on how to help empower parents to take charge of the children's services. We'll be discussing inter-agency networking, problem solving, and thinking outside the box to meet the needs of the individual child and family.

For those interested in this convention, it's not too late to register. We are really excited to be attending, and look forward to being able to return and report.