OCR Text |
Show Language Ibxegms. with the birth cry Nicholas was two When Amy yean old, her parents noticed that she was jabbering" rather than forming proper words. Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas had the child's ears checked, end were advised to see a specialist, ss the youngster apparently had fluid behind her ear drums. The specialist referred the family to the Utah School for the Deaf and Amy's success story began. Loren and Carina Nicholas were distressed that they didn't recognize Amy's problem much earlier. But they wasted no time in becoming Involved with the Parent-InfaProgram, a state-fundediagnostic, program for hearing-impaire- d infants and preschoolers. Since early intervention is essential to the optimum development ol the hearing-impairechild, the Parent-Infadevised to assist the was Program child in acquiring and developing language in the home, with parents and family providing the models for language development Karen Brown, who holds a masters degree in communicative disorders, visits the Nicholas hone once a week, advising and assisting the parents, who do most of the actual work. to Mrs. Brown, the According Parent-InfaProgram is bssed on the that the family should be premise taught how to handle the child's needs, and that maximum learning opportunities exist in the home setting. Amy, now four years old, has been fitted with hearing aids, and the combination of the amplification the aids provide and special training offer Amy the probability of normal development. She has already made great strides, and is able to put and some four together three-wor- d d and phrases. Her receptive vocabulary is also increasing, Said Mrs. Brown. The Pareqt-InfaProgram, which is presently providing services for about 70 children around the state, is under the direction of Mrs. Brown locally, and she coordinates her efforts nt home-interventi- d nt nt MOMMY Nicholas her mother a taste of offers Amy the Jello she is preparing as part of an at-TASTE THE JELLO, Four-year-o- ld home language lesson. the ly participates in for hearing-impaire- d The Nicholas fami- - Parent Infant Program children. five-wor- VOLUME 67 NUMBER pril 26, 1979 MjCB UINTA'HlB'ASIN SHVINO ALL Of nt with the Duchesne County school district and other agencies. Parents who suspect a hearing problem, no matter how young the child, are urged to seek an evaluation and testing. The earlier a hearing loss can be detected, the less intervention will be necessary as the child grows rider. children will usually be ready for school if they can Hearing-impaire- d develop language at home. Some special education assistance may be advisable, but in all likelihood the child who is diagnosed early in life can be assimilated into the regular school system, according to Mrs. Brown. Under the Parent-Infan- t Program, a child may be fitted with hearing aids at a very young age. Several types of aids and ear molds are available, and hearing-impairechildren are tested every six months either in Ogden or through local State health officials. Mrs. Brown said that parents should not be spprehensive about the expense involved, as much of the cost is covered by state funding. Mrs. Nicholas reiterated the urgency of early intervention. "When left d Continued on page 5a TTY machine enables deaf to use telephone When Johnny or Shaiada Murray, Roosevelt, wish to make a telephone call, they dont do it in the conventional way. They dial the number on a special set, wait for a signal, then sit at a teletype machine and type out the message. Mr. and Mrs. Murray are both deaf. For about three years, they have had a teletype, or TTY, machine in their home, which they use to converse with other deaf people throughout the state of Utah. The 1979 Utah Teleprinter Directory lists approximately 500 fortunate people who have access to this machine, including many hearing people, usually relatives of the deaf. In the event of an emergency, the Murrays are able to call a Salt Lake number and be connected with a telephone company representative who will make the emergency eall for them. The telephone has become a necessity to almost everyone in the world, but without a TTY machine, the telephone is virtually useless to Barbara Graham, Mountain Bell community relations representative, explained the procedure which makes it possible for a deaf person to communicate with the telephone company whenever heshe has a question on the bill, needs service transferred, etc. "The deaf person activates the TTY machine by using an electronic acoustic coupler and the ordinary telephone. Heshe then types the message, which comes across on the TTY machine located in Repair Center. ' The Customer Services Manager gets an answer for the customer, and notifies the repair center so that the answer can be typed to the customer, Mrs. Graham said. Commenting on the use of a TTY machine, Dr. Robert G. Sanderson, Coordinator for Services for the Deaf, said, "To deaf people, it is like the telephone has just been invented. "It's a toy, a joy, a headache, a blessing, and a necessity! And it's a Continued on page 5a the deaf DUCHESNE COUNTY, PLUS WEST UINTAH COUNTY kvy- i1 Hanna Water District forming, gets county ok Residents of the Henna area are preparing a petition for formation of the Hanna Community Water and Sewer Improvement District, which would supply water from Big Spring to the area from Stockmore to Tabiona. Nelaon Marshal, Russel Vernon of Uintah Engineering and Tom Wood from Hanna appeared before the Dueheane County Commission April 17 to present signatures from a number of area residents requesting that a special service district be formed. Hie commissioners approved formation of the district and the group said they will prepare the necessary documents. In other recent action in Duchesne County Commission meetings: e Carl Corbin of the State Department of Transportation, Roosevelt City administrator Jerrol Syme and Tabiona Mayor Venice Turnbow, discussed the pedestrian safety program. Duchesne County's share of the funds is $10,000 and May 18 is the launched to obtain funding to buOd a deadline for applications to be filed or separate structure on the back ol the to property for the Mosquito Abatement the money will be another county. Cities were asked to District's use. determine whether they have projects The commissioners appropriated which would quality and to make $300 to the Soil Conservation District to assist with office expenses for application. The commissioners heard from secretarial help. Ernest Haupt, Health District the Highways Department that Highwill 40 west of be Roosevelt Director, reported that two tuberculoway sis cases have been confirmed in the widened this year if the rightaf-wa' Roosevelt area. can be obtained in time. e The commissioners discussed the e The commissioners decided to remodeling of the Quality Lumber purchase a D-- 7 cat from Wheeler building west of Roosevelt for a Senior Machinery at a cost of about $125,000 for use at the county landfill. Citizen center, use by the Road E. Max Hartman was appointed Department and the Mosquito Abatement district. $5,425 is available from .chairman of the Council of Aging. e A license for a bar in connection the state few remodeling for the Senior Citisens, with an $1,808 local match, with a 'restaurant in Fruitland was but it must be expended by June 14. If denied. part of the'building was to be used by the Mosquito Abatement District, that portion would have to be sealed off tightly to prevent contamination by the ehemieals. An effort is to be UNUSUAL TELEPHONE teleprinter opens new vistas of communication, and the opportunity to make new friends, to hundreds of deaf people, for whom the conventional telephone is virtually useless. Mur- CALL-Sha- iada machine that ray demonstrates the graces the kitchen of her home in Roosevelt. Shaiada is deaf, and the machine enables her to "telephone" other deaf and hearing people in Utah. The TTY Spring clean-u-p starts Saturday in Duchesne Saturday, April 28, will be the for the annual clean-u-p campaign in the city of Duchesne, with clean-u- p efforts to continue through kick-of- f the following week. A special garbage and trash pick-u- p is scheduled for Saturday, in addition ' to the regular pick-u- p schedule. Trees, limbs and other large- items will be - picked up on May 12. Myton residents turn- ed out Saturday to begin raking, shoveling, conburning, etc. in the town's clean-u- p test. The contest offers cash prizes to cleaners of the most improved vaegnt lot TIME TO CLEAN UP and the most improved residential City trucks and equipment will be available to assist in the spruce-u- p effort, with city crews assigned to coordinate burning and trash pick up. A water truck will be cleaning gutters proper- - ty.. Duchesne begins its annual spring clean-uSaturday and Roosevelt's cleanstarts May 4. ing p. Saturday. Those having old wood, including tree limbs, are asked to contact Jackie Lund at to have the wood picked up. It will be sawed into stove 738-206- 6 lengths to be auctioned off or donated to needy families. Those with rid ears or trucks that they would like to have hauled away may contact Louise Peterson at and she will set up a time for them to be removed. 738-571- 3 Clean-ucoordinator Ron Addley said attempts were being made to get a ear crusher brought to Duchesne to help with this aspect of the clean-u-p but arrangements have not been finalised. A highlight ol the spring cleaning effort is a Work-a-thosponsored by Varsity Scout Troop 258, in cooperation with the city. Youths participating will arrange for sponsors and pledges and will work for their sponsors. The youth that obtains the most hours of work on his or her pledge p n, sheet and fulfills this obligation during clean-u- p week, will be declared the winner and will receive a gift valued at about $100. A silver and turquoise belt buckle and tie set will be the prize if the winner is a boy and a turquoise ring and bracelet set would go to a girl if she wins. Any youth interested in competing n as a in the project may contact Dennis Park at to obtain pledge forms and further information. Organised groups will be allowed to keep the money they collect from their sponsors. Addley has been assisted by 18 block chairmen, who were asked to notity the residents of sssigned areas in town of the coming campaign and enlist their aid in sprucing up the Work-a-tho- n Work-a-tho- 738-533- 9, community. fund-raisin- g |