"The whole concept of ‘deaf and dumb’ going hand-in-hand is not correct,” says certified auditory verbal therapist Vahishtai Daboo. "Speech impairment can happen to children with normal hearing,” she said in an interview over Zoom on August 7, 2023. After "years of independent practice” at her residence, in 2019 Daboo founded "Integrated,” a center offering comprehensive services in audiology, speech and auditory verbal therapy and counselling services in Bombay’s Opera House area. "Early detection leads to early treatment… Maharashtra has not made auditory screening mandatory yet for new born babies, as is done in some other states,” she pointed out.
Speech impairment includes the whole gamut of delayed speech, mis-articulation and cluttered speech, stammering and fluency disorders. "Often when delayed speech is observed, the root cause could be a hearing impairment… Many toddlers and children who do not have hearing loss and yet struggle with clarity of speech, and misarticulation can be treated with the help of speech therapy.”
Top: Vahishtai Daboo with a client; above, from l: Jamshed, Hanisha, Vahishtai and Jehan Daboo
We asked Daboo if the terms auditory verbal therapist and speech therapist can be used interchangeably. For children with hearing loss and fitted with either hearing aids or a cochlear implant it is the auditory verbal therapist who works with them to enable them to listen and speak. For standard speech impairment issues it is the speech therapist who works with the child or adult, she stated.
Hearing impairment can be caused by a variety of biological factors. "Certain illnesses in the new born such as high bilirubin count, meningitis, infection during pregnancy cause congenital deafness… Some studies indicate 50-60% of hearing loss (among newborns) are due to genetic reasons… Consanguineous marriages increase the chances of having a child affected by congenital deafness.” In adults, hearing loss is mostly due to exposure to loud noise, infections and deterioration due to age, she explained. There is no specific connection between hearing loss and the Parsi community, though "of course we do have an aging population and a fair number of our elderly do suffer from deterioration in their hearing,” she stated.
The cost for speech therapy at Integrated is Rs 750 per session, while for auditory verbal therapy it starts at Rs 1,500 per session. "Typically, the sessions are once a week. The entire rehabilitation could span over three to four years or more; this depends on how early or late the child has been fitted with the hearing devices and therapy started.” Insurance does not cover these costs.
Daboo completed her professional qualification as a listening and spoken language specialist from the Alexander Graham Bell Academy, USA and is reportedly among the first five in India to have achieved this certification. In addition, she is a certified verbal therapist from the Ali Yavar Jung Institute for Speech and Hearing Disability in Bandra. She took up this profession after the birth of her son Jehan who has a hearing disability; prior to that she had a long career dealing in clothing and textiles. "My journey with him gave me a different perspective… It was a tough choice to make the switch… I wanted my high flying job but I also wanted to give back to society, so I made myself an expert.” Daboo has in the past served as executive director of The Education Audiology and Research Society (EAR) (see "EAR listening,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, November 21, 2013).
Vahishtai’s husband Jamshed is an independent financial consultant. Daughter Hanisha, an associate with the legal firm Khaitan and Co is an associate of the Royal School of Music in pianoforte. Jehan is a counseling psychologist and a certified personal trainer from the American College of Sports Medicine.
The therapist has the following tips for parents: "Seek help immediately when you suspect a child has hearing loss…Every child can reach his/her full potential… There is still a little stigma attached to getting tested… There are many choices available…but we also need to de-stigmatize the condition.” And for seniors: "Do not go by the false notion that hearing aids aggravate the disorder… Do not delay wearing a hearing aid if your professional advises you need it… You too can have a good quality of life.”