“Our son TJ was born with mild to moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. We began working with Listen and Talk when he was just six months old through their Birth to Three program. From the very beginning, their support has been invaluable as we navigated the complexities of hearing loss. Along the way, we also learned that TJ has Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). CAS is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for him to form words—even though he knows exactly what he wants to say.
When TJ turned three, he transitioned into the Blended Classroom preschool program at Listen and Talk. The experience has been nothing short of transformative. The teachers and staff don’t just care about his language development—they care about him as a whole person. While Listen and Talk doesn’t specialize in CAS, they’ve met TJ where he is. The staff worked hand-in-hand with us to support his progress both inside and outside the classroom.
In just one year, we’ve seen incredible growth in TJ, and we know Listen and Talk has played a major role in that journey. During this giving campaign, we invite you to join us in supporting Listen and Talk so they can continue their incredible work with children like TJ and families like ours.”
Julie and Travis Russell, Listen and Talk Parents