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The Charles Van Riper Language, Speech and Hearing Clinic provides rich educational opportunities for student clinicians through the delivery of services to a wide variety of clientele.

Populations served in the language and speech clinic include:

• Children with speech sound and language disorders (through both the Preschool Language Intervention Program and individual therapy)

• Preschool children who are developing normally, but for whom English is spoken as a second language in the home

• Pediatric and adult clients who stutter

• Pediatric and adult clients with voice disorders

• Individuals on the autism spectrum

• Adults with aphasia through the Aphasia Communication Enhancement (ACE) Program

• Adults and children with traumatic brain injuries and dysarthria

In addition to more standard diagnostic and intervention services, student clinicians have the opportunity to gain clinical experience through the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC).  Speech-language pathology students are also able to experience an inter-professional approach to therapy with individual clients at the clinic. They collaborate with a variety of other professionals and students in areas including music therapy, occupational therapy, blindness and low vision studies, Spanish mentoring, and academic advising.  Graduate student diagnostic teams are also able to engage in interdisciplinary opportunities such as partnering with the É«É«À² Medical School Pediatric Multiple Disabilities Clinic and the É«É«À² Medical School Pediatric Oral Cleft Clinic each month.

Services available in the hearing clinic include:

• Acoustic reflex measurements

• Activation and mapping of cochlear implants

• Advocacy services and collaboration with educational and vocational agencies

• Assistive listening devices/wireless remote technology

• Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR testing)

• Auditory rehabilitation for families, children and adults

• Collaboration with speech language pathologists

• Comprehensive hearing testing for adults

• Comprehensive testing for cochlear implant candidacy

• Hearing aid selection and fitting for infants through adults

• Hearing loss prevention services

• Hearing testing, diagnosis and treatment of infants and children

• Newborn hearing screenings

• Otoacoustic emission testing

• Real ear measurements of hearing aid performance for infants, children and adults

• Tympanometry

Off-campus opportunities

Graduate students in speech-language pathology and in audiology gain additional experience through placements at therapy sites in and beyond the Kalamazoo community, including public schools, skilled nursing facilities, private practices, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and speech and hearing clinics.