The Basics
 
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:

These Moms Share Special Gifts by Erma Bombeck 
YOU ARE NOT ALONE: For Parents When They Learn Their Child Has A Disability 
Helping Parents Deal with the Fact That Their Child Has a Disability 
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. 

Communication Options for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing - From the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) 
"Communication Options"? What Does That Mean? - From the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 
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. 
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.
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Overview. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Auditory-Oral. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Auditory-Verbal. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Bilingual-Bicultural Education. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Cued Speech. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Cochlear Implants. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: English-Based Sign Systems. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Residential Life, ASL, and Deaf Culture. ERIC Digest 
Educating Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Total Communication. ERIC Digest 
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: 
Auditory Verbal Info & Resources 
Speechreading (Lipreading) 
Cued Speech 
Sign Language 
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.

My Child Has a Hearing Loss...What Next? by Paula Rosenthal 
So Your Child has a Hearing Loss: Next Steps for Parents - from the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 
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:

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. 
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:

Mild Hearing Loss 
Audiograms and Hearing Testing: A Primer for Parents 
Hearing Evaluation in Children 
Understanding Your Audiogram - from the American Academy of Audiology.  
How to Read A Hearing Test 
Some Basic Information About the Ear, Hearing Tests, Audiograms, and How This All Affects Your Child from the "Where do we go from Hear?" Website. 
Parents Guide - From Otikids. This guide is useful for parents of children who have recently been diagnosed with a hearing loss. It's a 40-page booklet that discusses the physical, practical and psychological issues related to understanding and coping with your child’s hearing loss. 
Pediatric Hearing Loss has some good basic information about a number of things you may have questions about. 
With a Hearing Aid, a Hearing-Impaired Child Can Hear as Well as You - False! - This is one of the best explanations I've found of the difference between a conductive hearing loss and a sensorineural hearing loss. 
How Do We Read an Audiogram? - by the Audiology Awareness Campaign 
For more information about these topics, check out our Audiology Resources page and our Hearing Aids & Earmolds page. 
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. 




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