Hearing Loss

Re: Hearing Loss

• rachelkawesome member

  November 2015

  Just want to say I feel for you. This news is a lot to process, and you are probably concerned about your daughter's future. It's okay to be upset and to mourn the child you had in your mind, if that's where you are emotionally.
  
  My sister has a moderate to severe loss also, and wears hearing aids. I also taught at a deaf preschool where the students were learning to listen and speak. Hearing loss poses a lot of challenges, but early intervention helps tremendously! I have worked with so many kids who started with little or no language (even kids as old as three) who made huge gains and were in their public, neighborhood school by kindergarten. Some even tested as gifted (which here in NYC is a really big deal). And my sister went to college and is now a preschool teacher. Though there's a long road ahead, you should know that with early detection and getting services like speech therapy, you are doing the best thing for your daughter, and there's a lot of hope for the future.
  
  There are lots of resources for parents out there - the AG Bell association is a great place to start. Feel free to PM me if you are looking for more.
  
  Good luck to you and your daughter!

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• jbettles member

  November 2015

  I have severe hearing loss, and have worn hearing aids since I was about 3 years old. I also have two bachelor's degrees, a master's degree, and am a licensed reading specialist. It didn't slow me down a BIT, and it won't your daughter, either. My biggest deal growing up was embarrassment at putting my hair up in cute do's (I still don't) because for some silly reason I wanted it to be a huge secret that I had hearing aids. I never learned to swim and generally avoid water, as well. That's really about it. Now I have a teacher friend who also has hearing loss and just now invested in aids. I finally have someone my age to talk about it with! If you can find her anyone to befriend growing up who has hearing loss, there are so many little things it would have been nice to talk with someone about. But I guess my main point is that it's something you will have to learn about (and sadly pay for - very few insurances cover hearing aids ) but something you will get through just fine!!

  

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• mill1020 member

  November 2015

  Sending positive thoughts your way.
  

  Laura, mom of:

  James (14)

  William (13)

  Elise (11)

  Zachary (5)
  George (3)

  
  

  www.letterstoauntkay.com [making the blog private.  PM me if you want to subscribe]

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• lauramichelle58 member

  November 2015

  She's absolutely beautiful. How did that happen? Is it something she's just born with?

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• susubaby member

  November 2015

  She's a beautiful baby! Stay strong mama :-)

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• caityrose member

  November 2015

  Find a support group! Even if it's on Facebook. It will be a good resource

  
  

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• mariessa02 member

  November 2015

  She is so adorable Sorry for the news you received mama, but finding out early allows you to get her the best support possible and that will make a huge, positive difference in the long run. Did you notice and ask the doctor, or how did you all figure out that she was having trouble hearing? Do you know the cause? I agree with the pp suggesting a support group, it's always good to have support from others who truly understand what you are going through.

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• dgriffith74 member

  November 2015 edited November 2015

  Thank you so much for sharing your stories and the encouraging words! Hannah failed her newborn hearing screening test 4 times. Then we had another test at 6 weeks that she failed. Then we had a comprehensive 2 hour test at 10 weeks. Moderate in left ear and severe in right ear. We never thought she had a problem. She can hear. I swear she reacts to different music. I want to know what she can hear, how clear, and how loud does it need to be for her. How do things sound for her? As a mom, you want to know everything about your kid and I don't know if I will ever really know how things sound for her. We go see a head/neck dr on the 21st. He has to clear her for hearing aids. We want to get those asap.

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• chelseajeanene member

  November 2015

  First I would like to say, you're daughter is such a beautiful little girl. This must be very difficult for you and I can't relate as a mother with a child of hearing loss, but I do know a lot people with who are hearing impaired. My friend is only 1 of the very few members of her family who has full hearing. 90% of her family has slight to full hearing loss and every single one of them lives a complete normal life and don't let this set them back with anything. She may struggle but don't let her feel any differebt then any other child. We all have our own things that we deal with and this is just hers. Teach her to be confident and she can't take on the world. I wish you and your family the best. Don't let this take you down, turn it around and celebrate her uniqueness and she will thrive in whatever she does

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• rachelkawesome member

  November 2015

  Thanks for the update, @dgriffith74. I'm glad you have an appointment with the doctor - he should be able to answer a lot of your questions. Also an audiologist can tell you about how much and what sounds your daughter can hear (not sure if you will meet with one at this appointment or not). I've actually heard simulations of what speech sounds like with different levels of hearing loss. That could be something to ask about if you want to hear what she hears. I'll be thinking of you, hang in there!

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• mariessa02 member

  November 2015

  Sounds like you are doing everything right Good luck in the process going forward. You will get through this and your baby girl will do well with all your love and support!

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• kat8844 member

  May 2023

  What a beautiful girl!
  How is she doing now?
  Time passed and I'm sure you have some experience to share. Please, do this if you can.
  My newborn nephew also has recently had a hearing test and he didn't pass it. He is supposed to have moderate hearing loss, but we are waiting for the second test in the hope the result will be better.
  It would be great to have information and a real story to calm my sister.

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• 00kim00 member

  May 2023

  kat8844 said:

  What a beautiful girl!
  How is she doing now?
  Time passed and I'm sure you have some experience to share. Please, do this if you can.
  My newborn nephew also has recently had a hearing test and he didn't pass it. He is supposed to have moderate hearing loss, but we are waiting for the second test in the hope the result will be better.
  It would be great to have information and a real story to calm my sister.

  Most likely the OP is long gone and won't see this. Assuming you're in the US, if your nephew is confirmed to have moderate hearing levels, that will automatically start a process of getting his family support. They would hear within a week or so from early intervention, which may be a teacher of the deaf, who can help guide them on this journey. A fantastic resource that is in most states is an organization called Hands and Voices (https://www.handsandvoices.org/chapters/starts.htm). It's a parent organization of families who have a child with hearing differences. She can reach out to them now, and connect with a parent who has been at this same point in the waiting game, and who's familiar with your state's supports. If you want to reply with what state she lives in, I may be able to point you towards other resources.

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