Hearing and Kids

Everyone needs a superhero – someone you makes you believe that you can be who you want to be. Until recently, most superheroes were male. I remember when Wonder Woman came out. Every girl I knew felt stronger. On Halloween, lots of girls dressed as Wonder Woman. While this was a big step forward for girls, there were still no

Choosing the most appropriate methodology is an enormous ongoing issue for families when their child is identified with hearing loss. Professionals all have ideas about what is right and what would be right for the children they see. Unfortunately, professionals have different points of view. What are parents to do?   Look at the data! When data is available it

I spent last weekend at the CARE Project teens and tweens retreat at Bald Head Island in North Carolina. The CARE Project provides support to families of children with hearing loss. Until now, the retreats have been for families with young children,but this one was the first directed at families with older children. Johnnie Sexton, the CARE Project director, had

There are a number of books available now for children with hearing loss. This is a good thing because it is important for children with hearing loss, or any other disability, not to feel that they are alone. The books are divided into two groups – one for and about children who use spoken language and a second for children who

With today’s technology, almost every child has the ability to learn to listen. No matter what communication strategy a family chooses, listening can be a useful component. For families who choose listening and spoken language, the ability to listen is critical. Even for families who choose to use sign language, a child who can listen and speak will have an

Parents and others who work with children with hearing loss feel the need to advocate for the children. However, the most important part of advocacy is learning to advocate for oneself. When children rely on others to advocate for them, they do not feel powerful. But when they are capable of advocating for themselves they feel good about who they

School is about to start for a lot of kids. Kids and parents are excited. New clothes, new books, new backpacks. What can we do to make this easier for children with hearing loss as the new year starts?   Preparing the children If possible, children with hearing loss should have the opportunity to go into the school in advance

I just finished four days of interviewing some of my old “kids” – now young adults in their 20’s and 30’s with hearing loss. I was their audiologist while they were growing up and helped them and their families navigate the world of hearing loss. The interviews were for a documentary I am making with Irene Taylor Brodsky, an Emmy

With newborn hearing screening, early identification, and improvements in technology, the great majority of children with hearing loss can successfully use listening and spoken language and are educated in the mainstream. Since more than 95% of children with hearing loss are born into families with normal hearing, they may be the only person with hearing loss they know. For some children

Siblings sometimes report that they feel left out of things because the child with hearing loss, or other disabilities, requires so much attention from parents. Everyone working with a family affected by hearing loss needs to be aware that sibs need attention too. So what can we do?   Talk about hearing loss Parents and professionals working with families need