Spotlight On Nancy Geller, M.A., CCC-SLP

Nancy Geller, Director of the Shelley and Steven Einhorn Communication CenterNancy Geller, Director of the Shelley and Steven Einhorn Communication Center at CHC, was invited to speak earlier this month at the prestigious Children's Hearing Institute's Educational Outreach Program, Controversial Issues in Pediatric Audiology.

Nancy presented a case study about a remarkable young woman named Zoe who was diagnosed at 23 months of age with severe to profound hearing loss and implanted at 2 years and 8 months. What makes Zoe’s story so extraordinary is that her hearing loss was accompanied by oral apraxia, a condition that left her unable to execute speech movements because of motor planning and coordination problems. Zoe, in fact, was silent when she began therapy with Nancy at the age of 2 ½ years.  

The goal of Zoe’s therapy was twofold: (1) teach her how to hear and understand and (2) teach her how to produce the sounds she was hearing. Because of the apraxia, Zoe had much more to learn than other children who have the single challenge of hearing loss. Nancy worked with Zoe in intensive therapy to teach her every movement involved in speech. For every sound, Zoe was taught a motor plan.

Zoe in 2010 traveling in the AmazonWe’re pleased to report that Zoe responded beautifully to the therapy. Today she is a senior in high school excited about getting into Skidmore College (early decision no less!). She possesses excellent communication skills and continues with therapy so that she can achieve her full potential.

Proud of all that Zoe has accomplished, Nancy tells us, "Zoe has worked incredibly hard to get where she is today. At CHC, our focus is on maximizing every child's potential, so each one has the opportunity to shine!"

Miracles like Zoe happen every day at the Center for Hearing and Communication. Nancy Geller leads an acclaimed team of speech-language pathologists uniquely skilled in the design and implementation of intensive communication therapies that enable children who are deaf and hard of hearing to succeed in mainstream schools. 

To learn more about our pediatric communication services (or the services available for adults), call Nancy Geller at (917) 305-7836 or click here to send an email. 

P.S. Zoe traveled to the Amazon last year as part of the 2010 Hear the World Expedition, an initiative sponsored by Phonak. You can click here to see a video of Zoe using some very cool technology that enables her, for the first time, to hear underwater sounds. All the hearing device technology featured in this clip, by the way, is available at our Berelson Hearing Technology Center (except the underwater microphone!). The 2011 Hear the World Sound Academy heads to the Grand Canyon with applications due February 26, 2011. Applicants must be full-time students, ages 15-20, and both students with and without hearing loss are invited to apply. Click here to learn more and apply.