Emphasizing the importance of family-centered counseling, the authors cover techniques of counseling, the methodology wars in the U.S., early detection programs, revisiting therapy in early intervention, and assistive hearing technologies. The authors urge professionals to listen to the parents they are working with. Audiologist Donna Wayner has written a series of counseling guides, including one for adult patients who are learning to use hearing aids. Bentler and her associates include the family in the patient's rehabilitation as much as possible, urging their patients to bring family members to all office visits. The book contains photographs of family activities, and descriptive captions accompany each photo.
Parents then discuss the contents of the book each night with their child.
In this way, daily experiences become language and speech lessons. The book also becomes an important part of early education.