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 Can My Child Hear?
It is never too early to have your baby's hearing tested. Here is a
Speech and Hearing Checklist
from the AG Bell Association for the Deaf, and Determining If Your Child Has Hearing Loss
from the American Academy of Otolaryngology.
Why Do I Feel This
Way? If your child has just been diagnosed as
having a hearing loss, I would like you to read this little story called "Welcome
to Holland". I first heard this story shortly after my
son was diagnosed with a congenital bilateral moderate-profound sensorineural hearing loss
(in real terms: Born with a hearing loss in both ears that's so bad, he can't hear
anything without his hearing aids). I recently had the opportunity to correspond with
Ms. Kingsley who gave us permission to share it with you.
While her child is not deaf, she used to write scripts for the Little Theatre of the Deaf
for SESAME STREET back in 1970. You may also want to read:
What Are My
Options? You need to learn about ALL of the communication
options available, and pick one that's right for your family and child. My favorite link for this would be The Deaf Education Option Web,
but it has been offline for some time. We're trying to track this down so that
we can get this info back online for you. I did manage to find a paper that
heavily referenced ideas from The Deaf Education Option Web,
Degrees of Deafness: From
Discovery to Education.
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Communication
Options for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing - From the National Institute on Deafness and
Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
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"Communication Options"? What Does That Mean? - From the American
Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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Communication
Methods - From the Electronic Deaf Education Network
- Options in Deaf Education—History, Methodologies, and Strategies
for Surviving the System was written by the parent of a deaf/hoh
child for publication in Exceptional Parents Magazine. To her dismay, only
portions of it were published. She was looking for a way to make the entire article
available to parents who need this information. Of course I jumped at the chance, and I'm
very proud to be able to provide you with an online version of her complete article. Some
of the info in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) section
is not current due to the reauthorization of the IDEA. Also you should note
that the author of this article has a bias towards sign language and it
shows in certain parts, but other than that, it's a good overview of what
your options are.
- Choices in Deafness: A
Parents' Guide to Communication Options - Second edition. Edited by Sue
Schwartz, PhD Woodbine House 1996. This book covers all communication options with stories written by
the parents about their children. There is also a section where the children (now young
adults) write about themselves. I highly recommend this book (it was the very
first book I read when my son was diagnosed with a hearing loss).
- As more and more parents are asking questions about their options, parents and
parent-professional groups have worked together to generate booklets with information for
parents who have recently had a child identified with a hearing loss. It is my hope that
one day, at the time parents are told their child has a hearing loss that they are handed
one of these booklets. One of these is called Open
Doors: Options in Communication and
Education for Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and is sponsored by Oticon and the Academy
of Dispensing Audiologists (ADA). To get a free copy contact either of the sponsors or
call 1-732-560-1220.
- News Flash: For a limited time, if you write
to want a copy of this booklet, just write to me at kay@listen-up.org
and I'll be happy to send one out your way. Please be sure to include your address.
This offer is only available to US addresses.
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Opening Doors: Technology And Communication Options for Children With
Hearing Loss - This one is from the Department of Education.
- Here are some links to some ERIC Digests that
cover most of the communication choices, but don't rely on only one source
for information before choosing one for your child. The best advice I can
offer you is to not make a decision till you've visited a classroom using
that option, or met a few kids using that option and see if those kids are
doing what you want your child to be doing when they're that age.
Sometimes an option may look perfect for your child on paper, but isn't
when you see it in real life.
- You may want to read Evaluating
School Programs for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children by Paula
Rosenthal
- Communication
modes - Much of the information on the Language
Development pages of this Website are geared towards the oral mode of
communication, because that is what I have the most experience with. (There
are some ideas on the Language Development pages though that could be used to
help develop language skills with other modes.) Here are my pages that contain
information about specific communication approaches:
Now What? Now
that you've read about your options, you've either got a pretty good idea of
which option you would like to pursue, or you're more confused than ever. In
either event, Diane has some good words of advice:
"These educational decisions you are thinking about take a long
time to "gel"..... lots to consider on your part. Use your
resourcefulness to find what you have available within a reasonable driving
distance and visit them all. Talk with the directors, meet with
parents, see if there are support groups, meet kids in the program (younger
and older). During this process you'll get in touch with your own
internal resources too..... abilities, time, emotional support, finances,
etc. I believe that you have to take this journey personally no
matter what other people's experiences are. Only you know what's right
for your family and what's available to support you."
Good advice Diane! I can't stress enough that you should go out and
visit at least those programs you are considering. Just because a program
claims to follow a specific modality, doesn't mean they actually do, or that
it's a quality program. And once you've made your choice, it isn't written in
stone that you have to stick with that choice if you see it's not working, or
if you feel your child needs something else. You can always add to, or
take away from whatever you're doing. Your child will let you know what is and
isn't working, if you pay attention.
To
receive a copy of a free consumer booklet on all aspects of hearing care call
1-888-833-EARS(3277) toll-free. The booklet covers hearing instruments (how do
you know if you need them, what you should expect from hearing instruments,
types of technology, styles) assistive listening devices, how audiologists
help children with hearing loss, ear infections, central auditory processing
problems, hearing loss prevention, noise and hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo,
audiologic rehabilitation, and cochlear implants.
Learn
about Hearing Aids. Here are some resources for you:
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About
Hearing Aids
- Children and Hearing
Aids
-
Hearing Aids for Children
- Helpful
Products to Know About
- If Your Child
Won't Keep Their Hearing Aids In... - some suggestions.
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Purchasing Hearing Aids? Read This First!
5
Things to Teach Your Deaf or Hard of Hearing Child
Learn
about hearing. These places provide some good, basic information:
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Early
Intervention Information
Language Development
 The greatest
source of inspiration for me has been something that I now have the privilege to share
with you. I call it Life's Lessons. This was Phyllis Feibelman's
Banquet Address for an Auditory-Verbal International conference in 1991. Phyllis is the
editor of Our Kids Magazine, a magazine sent to members of AG Bell (go here for a free 6 month trial membership for parents of a child
with a hearing loss). She has allowed me to place it on this web site so that others may
benefit.
A Prophetic Start For Diane - A
U.P. newspaper article submitted by a
parent (the article is about her as a hearing-impaired child).
Great Products that Work!
Parents and Kids With Web Sites
Support Groups
for Parents - These are online groups that support ALL communication
options.
List Of Acronyms
Teaching &
Education Resources
Every child needs
Role Models. Here are some we hope will inspire your child.
Curious to know what people who are
hard of hearing have to go through with their every day communication? Here's a humorous passage that may give you just a bit of insight.
This passage is not really about a hard of hearing person trying to communicate,
but it does give the reader an idea of the frustrations faced by breakdowns in
communication.
AG Bell - National (a nonprofit
organization promoting the rights for hearing-impaired children to learn and use all
aspects of verbal communications) offers a free six month trial membership if you are the
parent of a child with a hearing loss. Print out and send in your
application now! You might also want to check to see if there are any local
chapters in your area. Some of those also have free memberships for
parents.
American
Society for Deaf Children offers a free first year program for families of newly-identified deaf and hard of hearing children.
Find out more here.
- The John Tracy Clinic
offers a free correspondence course to families with deaf children through the age of five. The
Beauty of the Drive from Holland to Italy tells us how one family was
helped by the John Tracy Clinic. We thank him for allowing us to share it
with you.
Auditory-Options
Project - This is a state-wide project in Ohio that provides
free auditory-verbal/auditory-based approaches to kids 0-3 years.
Tips for Parents
 If you find someone with a hearing
impaired child who is doing things you want your child to be able to do, ask them how they
did it. Often it is just some little thing they tried that worked and they'll be happy to
share it with you. If you've found something that worked and you'd like to pass it along,
let me know and I'll post it here.
 Get all the knowledge you can during
your child's time with the therapist because in the long run, it's you teaching your child
to do these things. You're the one he spends the time with (you think an hour or so a week
with the therapist is all it takes?) The only way you're going to be able to do it is if
you learn how. Read all you can on the subject and ask questions! Developing your child's
hearing and speech to its fullest potential takes teamwork and you're the one in charge of
the team (Many would say that the therapist is the one in charge of the team, but what if
you move out of the area? Is your therapist going to follow you? If you want continuity of
care for your child, the team leader is you!) If your therapist doesn't welcome you into
the room during therapy or is reluctant to answer your questions, maybe it's time to look
for another therapist.
 Teaching social skills is often
difficult. What has worked the best for me is "Goofus & Gallant" from
HIGHLIGHTS magazine for children. I copied every one I could get my hands on (I borrowed
from teachers, found stacks at libraries, and bought as many at yard sales as I could).
Cut these out and glue onto card stock (see below for more on this kind of paper). For
teaching the concept I've found that 2 per card works best. Make sure that the card for
good behavior and bad behavior are in the same relative position for each card (ie. good
always on top). After the concept has been learned, separate into 2 cards and use to play
matching games, or go fish.
Whenever I print something to use as a
therapy aid, I print it onto card stock (also known as cover stock or Vellum Bristol).
This makes it more durable and helps it to last through a number of sessions. When my
child has mastered whatever concept the printout was for, it's still in nice enough
condition to pass along to someone else. You can get this paper at your local office
supply store, it's not expensive, and it comes in a lot of colors.
If you have questions or comments about anything located on this site, please send
mail.
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