Re: Digest Number 369

[Guest guest]

I've been thinking a lot lately about what other children (and adults) are

going to think about my daughter once she gets her hearing aids and it sort

of bothered me but not too much. I had no idea that there were people out

there who really think that hearing aids are so different that they need to

gawk at them. I'm going to try not to get too depressed about this whole

thing.

In a message dated 01/17/2000 12:34:41 AM Pacific Standard Time,

Listen-Uponelist writes:

<< Although he's a kind and friendly kid, plays baseball,

soccer, is in cub scouts, gone to summer camp and town rec programs, he has

been invited on just one play date, and no birthday parties. He is always

the last one to be chosen. He invites kids over to play and they say no. He

spends a lot of time playing alone. >>

[Guest guest]

,

When got her hearing aids I was so happy. Finally we had found a

way to help her. The aids have changed her life. She has a lot more self

confidence and is a happier little girl. The speech is slow, but it is

coming. Most people don't even notice that she is wearing hearing aids.

When I mention that she cannot hear very well other parents are shocked

especially if they just see her playing in a group of kids.

But before she was aided she stuck out because she was more in her own

world. My response to anyone who makes a comment to me is 2 fold.

1) I need glasses to function and needs hearing aids. I don't

see any difference. Somehow what she has gained by not hearing is going to

help her as an adult now that she can hear.

2) We are not worried about what is between her ears, just her ears.

I say celebrate the aids. Put rhinestones on them if you have too. Paint

them pink. Anything

to help de-stigmatise the visual. You know what I mean.

Good Luck,

Sheri

[Guest guest]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences with me. I know that Hannah is an

extrememly happy child and my aim is to raise her with self confidence,

compassion and common sense. I love her more than any words could ever tell

and she knows it. Before the two negative incidents we experienced in the

last week, most people have embraced Hannah with nothing but kindness and

warmth. I truly believe that Hannah is hoh for a reason, (that of which God

only knows).

Re: siblings, Hannah has a 9 month old baby sister who is just learning to

say mama and dada and no, of course, and it will be interesting to see if she

has a tone to her speech that takes after her big sister. She sure does

think Hannah hung the moon! I see lots of mischief in their future together.

Re: Motrin, when Hannah had mono a year ago, she was on both Tylenol and

Motrin for an entire month to attempt to control her fever. I read someone's

email that mentioned something about Motrin and hearing loss and was

wondering what was discussed. (Sounds interesting)

Also, we bought Hannah an FM system and are planning to use it in the

classroom when she goes to school. How do teachers in a mainstreamed class

react to wearing the system? Are they usually willing and open to work with

your child in that way? I taught 2nd grade for a few years and know that I

would not have had a problem with it. So far I've found that the tap

teachers will wear it without complaint and that the Kindermusik teacher was

eager to help. I would like to hear some of your own experiences with this

subject.

TTFN

[Guest guest]

-

AJ just got her FM system also. Her teacher loves it. Her teacher tells AJ

special things that no one else can hear. The specialist in the school have

been wonderful also. A child in Remi's class, 2nd grade, also got an FM

last week. The teacher was fine with it. She did feel very guilty when one

of the boys misbehaved and she spoke louder than she should have, without

first turning the FM off. Other than that, it has been working out great

for both kids.

Phyllis--mom to

AJ (12/22/95) EG, GERD, Asthma, Allergies, speech delay and hearing loss

Remi (8/3/92) Spina Bifida, LATEX, peanuts, shellfish, & nut allergies

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Hannah sure does sound like a lucky girl in an adoring family. My daughter is

8, and last year, we bought her an FM system (outside of an IEP) This was last

March, she had a sudden drop in her hearing. If I had done an IEP through the

school, the school would have had to pay for it, but she wouldn't have gotten it

until the following school year.

I didn't have any problem getting the teachers to use the system, they were

quite cooperative. We brought a written recommendation from her audiologist to

use it. The benefit of going through the IEP is that you can write things in

like you have to be notified of all planned absences so the substitute gets

training on how to use the FM system, and that they have to do checks of the

system, batteries, etc -- then these things HAVE to happen, or you have

recourse.

So anyways, this year Patty needed a new FM system (she was using a

Sound system last year because she did not have aids, this year she got Phonak

Aids and got a Microlinks system) We did it through an IEP, and the school

district paid for everything.

As a cross-over to another topic that has come up, one kid in Patty's class

announced that he knew why Patty was always getting 100 % on her math tests --

the teacher was giving Patty the answers through the FM system !! The teacher

had a little chat with him, and there were not any problems after that.

Good luck

Sheri