AVT Therapy for Hearing Loss in Dhaka | Prottasha Child Health Care

What is AVT?

Helping children with hearing loss find their voice

Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) is a specialised early intervention approach that teaches children who are deaf or hard of hearing to use their residual hearing — maximised through hearing aids or cochlear implants — to listen and develop spoken language naturally.

Unlike other approaches that rely on lip-reading or sign language, AVT focuses on developing the child's auditory brain — training them to process, interpret and respond to sound as their primary mode of communication. The goal is for the child to speak, listen and attend mainstream school alongside hearing peers.

At Prottasha, our certified AVT therapists work closely with audiologists and parents, because active family involvement is the cornerstone of AVT success.

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Who Can Benefit

Is AVT right for your child?

AVT works best when started early — ideally before 3 years old. The sooner a child begins, the greater their chances of developing age-appropriate spoken language.

Diagnosed with hearing loss (any degree)

Has or will receive hearing aids or cochlear implants

Family wants spoken language as the primary communication mode

Child is not responding consistently to sounds or voices

Limited babbling or vocalisation for age

Not developing speech sounds as expected

Inconsistent use of hearing technology

Family wants child to attend a mainstream school

AVT Principles

The 10 principles of Auditory Verbal Therapy

AVT is guided by internationally established principles that define what makes it different from other therapies for children with hearing loss.

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Listening First

AVT promotes listening as the primary sense for language learning — guiding children to use their hearing before relying on visual cues.

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Optimise Hearing Technology

Hearing aids or cochlear implants are consistently worn and optimised so the child receives the best possible auditory signal at all times.

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Parent as Primary Therapist

Parents are coached to be the most important people in their child's auditory development — integrating listening and language into every daily routine.

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Natural Play-Based Learning

Language is developed through everyday activities — bath time, meals, play and outings — making the child's whole world a therapy session.

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Developmental Milestones

AVT aims for the child to meet the same listening and language milestones as hearing peers — the programme is guided by normal development patterns.

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Mainstream Integration

The goal of AVT is for children to attend mainstream school, build friendships and participate fully in society using spoken language as their primary tool.

Family Involvement

Why parents are the heart of AVT

In AVT, the parent or caregiver is not a bystander — they are the primary therapist. Research shows that children make the fastest progress when their parents are actively coached in AVT techniques and use them consistently throughout the day.

At Prottasha, every AVT session is structured so that parents observe, participate, practise and ask questions. You will leave each session with specific activities to do at home — turning ordinary moments into powerful learning opportunities.

Learn how to model listening and spoken language at home
Understand how to check and maintain hearing technology
Track your child's listening and language progress weekly
Receive written home practice activities after every session

🎯 Our AVT Goals

Consistent full-time use of hearing technology
Detection and identification of environmental sounds
Understanding spoken language in quiet and noise
Age-appropriate vocabulary and sentence use
Clear, intelligible speech production
Confidence communicating with peers and adults
Successful transition to mainstream school

FAQ

Common questions about AVT

The earlier, the better — ideally within the first 3 years of life when the brain's auditory pathways are most receptive. However, AVT can be beneficial at any age, particularly when a child receives cochlear implant surgery later in childhood. Even older children and teenagers can make meaningful progress with intensive support.

No — AVT works with any level of hearing loss and any type of hearing technology, including behind-the-ear hearing aids, in-the-ear aids and cochlear implants. What matters is that the child's residual hearing is optimised through appropriate, consistently worn technology and that listening is the primary focus of language development.

AVT specifically focuses on spoken language and listening as the primary communication mode — it does not incorporate sign language, as doing so can reduce the brain's motivation to use auditory input. This is a family decision. Prottasha's AVT therapists will discuss all communication options with you honestly and help you make the best choice for your child and family circumstances.

Typically, children attend one to two AVT sessions per week, each lasting 60 minutes. The most critical factor is not session frequency but the consistency of practice at home — which is why parent coaching is central to every session. Our AVT therapists will recommend a schedule based on your child's age, hearing age and specific goals.

Yes — effective AVT requires close collaboration between the AVT therapist, audiologist, ENT specialist and family. We coordinate with your child's audiologist to ensure hearing technology is optimally fitted and mapped. If you do not yet have an audiologist, our team can guide you to trusted providers in Dhaka.

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