Renowned illustrator creates “I Spy” wall mural for families – especially those having children with special needs
Rochester, NY – The first thing that visitors notice upon entering Clear Choice Hearing and Balance’s brand-new Pediatric Audiology office in Greece is the colorful, 20-foot-wide by six-foot-high mural that covers an entire wall in the kid-friendly waiting room.
“I wanted something that would transform the typical doctor’s office waiting room into a truly inviting space and came up with the idea for an interactive, Rochester-themed, “I Spy”-type wall mural,” explains Clear Choice Hearing and Balance Founder/Owner Christine Tirk, a Spencerport native who started her successful, full-scope audiology practice more than a decade ago. “I researched a lot of local artists before hitting the jackpot with Chris.”
Chris Lyons is an award-winning Rochester illustrator whose work has appeared in many national publications including The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine and The World Wildlife Fund Magazine, as well as for national clients such as the USPS, Pentagram and Mattel. He’s also an Adjunct Faculty member in the School of Graphic Design and the School of Industrial Design at RIT. But it was his distinctive style and enthusiasm for the project that made him the perfect fit.
“When my kids were little, they loved “I Spy” books and so did I – we read them a thousand times,” Lyons says. “I loved the Rochester angle and I was able to work in just enough local flavor to not make it corny or overbearing: the skyline, the lilacs, the Frederick Douglass statue, the Red Wings baseball and the Amerks puck.”
Lyons also wrote the rhyming clues that keep families entertained.
“I enjoyed that just as much as creating the mural,” he adds. “My hope is that parents appreciate the craft and young kids are challenged in a fun way. I’m grateful for such an enjoyable and meaningful project.”
The new office’s waiting room is just one aspect of its thoughtful focus on the special-needs community.
“I became very interested in providing the appropriate facilities and environment after hearing about the struggles faced by an employee of mine,” says Tirk. “He was very frustrated by unsuccessful attempts to get his children tested for Auditory Processing Disorder.”
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in children can cause speech and language delays, impede learning, and disrupt interaction with others. It can often be a symptom in children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD/ADD, and Down Syndrome. In addition, the sensitivity to stimulation that often accompanies these diagnoses can make testing extremely difficult in a traditional, often-crowded clinical setting. Tirk became determined to create a comfortable, nurturing atmosphere that would guarantee successful testing. That included a specifically designed, wheelchair-accessible auditory booth has room for a child, a parent, and an audiologist, while Pediatric Audiologist Dr. Kyrsten Stephany patiently works with families one-on-one to ensure a relaxed experience with a successful outcome.
“We’re having success diagnosing children who have never even been able to get through the testing process previously,” Tirk adds. “Our whole staff is proud of the unique and safe place we’ve created here.”
Founded in 2008 by Christine Tirk, Clear Choice Hearing and Balance is a private, full-scope audiology practice that serves a wide variety of people with diverse hearing health care needs. Services include comprehensive diagnostic hearing evaluations (to assess the type and degree of hearing impairment) for children and adults, hearing instrument selection and fittings using advanced digital and computer programmable technology, tinnitus diagnosis and treatment, assessing and treating vestibular and balance disorders, adult and pediatric Auditory Processing Disorder testing and diagnosis, high-fidelity custom ear plugs, ear monitors for musicians, hearing protection/conservation devices, swim plugs, sensory plugs, assistive listening devices (for noisy environments, TV, and telephone use), community outreach programs and presentation, and repairs for all makes and styles of hearing aids. Locations include the Greece, NY office at 103 Canal Landing Blvd., Suites 3-5, and a Brighton office at 1065 Senator Keating Blvd., Suite 210.
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