The activities carried out by the society:

1.Assessment and treatment services in the main center. Such services include evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of children who suffer from speech and language impairments through suitable treatment plans (140 treatment sessions are given monthly).

Communicative disorders that are treated at our center:

1.     Voice:

                ¨        Phonation

                ¨        Resonation

 

2.     Articulation:

                ¨        Omission

                ¨        Substitution

                ¨        Distortion

                ¨        Pattern of error

 

3.     Language:

                ¨        Morphological deficits

                ¨        Syntactic deficits

                ¨        Semantic deficits

                ¨        Pragmatic deficits

 

4.     Fluency:

                ¨        Cluttering

                ¨        Stuttering

 

5.     Hearing loss:

                ¨        Full assessment of hearing.

                ¨        Rehabilitation for the deaf and children with hearing loss.

 

6.     Neurogenic speech language and speech disorders:

                ¨        Aphasia

                ¨        Dysartheria

                ¨        Apraxia

                ¨        Cerebral palsy

 

2.The establishment of mobile clinics to offer services in the northern remote regions for marginalized population.

    Since it is extremely difficult for people, in addition to time and financial restraints, who live in remote areas to reach our center and lacking such service, (CCSNS) has established what we call mobile clinics It has proven to be a spectacular enterprise with Jenin, Tulkarem, Salfit, and qalqilia being assigned as primary targets for the mobile clinic. It turned out that this project was an extremely supportive and effective method for providing services to the remote areas. Many beneficiaries were able to reach us easily and they were extremely grateful to us. Unfortunately, these mobile clinics are no longer in operation due to mobility restrictions imposed by the Israeli defense forces (IDF). Our clients are still desperately contacting us asking to pursue these clinics once again.

We reply by saying “ if there is a will, there is a way”. We always have the will, and without doubt we are going to find a way.

3.Early detection of speech and language disorders through field surveys. The well trained staff of the center carried out a field survey among governmental school students in the northern regions in order to detect any speech or language deficits among students in kindergarten, and the first, second, and third grade elementary school levels.

 

4.Awareness raising: The society organized a campaign to raise the awareness of the public in the following areas:

 

a-   The society, in cooperation and coordination with the Palestinian ministry of education, held lectures in the Nablus area to raise the awareness level of school and kindergarten teachers regarding speech problems to be able to detect any communicative disorders as early as possible. Moreover, teachers should be able to utilize their knowledge and to be actively involved in the assigned treatment plan and follow up process subsequently.

 

b-    The society, once more in cooperation with the ministry of education, held a workshop for the parents of the students in Nablus, Tulkarem, and Qalqilia, so that they will be able to facilitate the follow up of the treatment sessions for their own children. This will allow them to participate more positively in the treatment plan and to help them simplify the materials given to them into daily life activities, this increases the effectiveness of treatment and makes for a higher success rate.

 

c-    The society also held meetings with the media (television, radio and newspapers) to illustrate the nature and magnitude of the problem and its serious passive effects.

 

Early Detection of Communication Disorders in Kindergarten and Second Grade School    Children           $21,170 grant for the period of  June 15, 2001 to June 14, 2002

 

Provide diagnostic services for the early detection of speech, language and hearing disorders among male and female kindergarten and second grade school children studying in governmental, private and UNRWA schools located in Nablus and the surrounding villages and camps. Raise community awareness to reverse negative trends in attitudes towards speech, language and hearing problems, and to understand how to effectively prevent and treat these problems. Train 89 kindergarten and second grade teachers to detect speech, language and hearing problems among children, utilize scientific diagnostic methods, refer cases for treatment, and contribute to the follow-up therapy programs of their students.

 

First Stage:

 Conducted a field survey of children in the kindergartens in Nablus, and in the Askar and Balatah refugee camps

Facilitated a training course for kindergarten teachers.

Provided a report including an assessment of the field survey, data processing results, and recommendations,

Established a special room for observation and training purposes.

This room is of great importance in the practical training process because it enables the trainee specialists and parents to watch the way in which the therapy session takes place, methods of therapy used and the child’s reaction during the session.  It is important for the child undergoing therapy not to notice that anyone is watching him/her because it may be embarrassing or frightening which would interfere with the training and observation.

Second Stage:

Conducted a field survey of the second grade students in Nablus, surrounding villages, and the Askar and Balatah refugee camps.

Facilitated a training course for second grade teachers.

Provided a report including an assessment of the field survey, data processing results, and recommendations.

Third Stage:

Conducted the field survey in schools that were not accessible during the first two stages due to vacation schedules.

Provided a final report including an assessment of the complete field survey, data processing results, and recommendations.

Initiated a community awareness campaign utilizing different mass media including TV programs, newspaper articles, distribution of leaflets on the negative impacts of speech disorders and means of protection.

Results:

12,011 kindergarten through second grade students were surveyed.

89 teachers received training in the field of speech, language and hearing disorders, and related learning difficulties.

Statistical reports were published indicating the results of the complete survey.

An increase in the number of cases referred to the Center by parents, schools, social specialists and healthcare workers has been noted.

A drop in the number of cases where treatment was stopped by the client, and a rise in the number of cases where treatment has been completed has occurred.