Re: Digest Number 2096 (for Sara)

[Guest guest]

Hi Sara,

When I found out my daughter was deaf, I was in the midst of something too,

so I can relate in a small way to how you are feeling with regard to you not

thinking you got your daugther what she needed back then. I hope it will

make you feel better to know that even with the best technology that many

parents still do not find out that their child is deaf or hard of hearing

until they are 18 mos - 2 years.

I think you're lucky you live near DC. Semesky is on our list and is

from land. You are also very close to Gallaudet University which has a

preschool program at their site (also a regular K - 12 school). They have a

whole program for deaf children who have cochlear implants. And if you

choose not to go that way, they can offer you other options. In fact, once

I went to DC on business and went to visit the University and people whom I

didn't even know helped me figure out what was going on with my daughter.

If you are in the DC area, do you or your husband work for the federal govt?

If so, I would like you to email me and maybe I can talk with you guys about

the federal employee insurance.

Search the listen up site for hearing aid sources of funding. You can go to

Miracle Ear Children's Foundation or the HIKE Fund (hearing impaired kids

endowment fund) thru Job's daughters. There is also the Starkey foundation.

If you're in MD, I think they have a law that h/as must be paid for by the

state.

The preauthorization does consist of an evaluation first, so the insurance

can't know right now if an implant is even warranted. I know that is

probably not the answer you want to hear right now.

It is good that you are learning some signs to give your duaghter access to

communication right away.

Good luck

maryemapa@...

>

u

[Guest guest]

Hi Sara,

When I found out my daughter was deaf, I was in the midst of something too,

so I can relate in a small way to how you are feeling with regard to you not

thinking you got your daugther what she needed back then. I hope it will

make you feel better to know that even with the best technology that many

parents still do not find out that their child is deaf or hard of hearing

until they are 18 mos - 2 years.

I think you're lucky you live near DC. Semesky is on our list and is

from land. You are also very close to Gallaudet University which has a

preschool program at their site (also a regular K - 12 school). They have a

whole program for deaf children who have cochlear implants. And if you

choose not to go that way, they can offer you other options. In fact, once

I went to DC on business and went to visit the University and people whom I

didn't even know helped me figure out what was going on with my daughter.

If you are in the DC area, do you or your husband work for the federal govt?

If so, I would like you to email me and maybe I can talk with you guys about

the federal employee insurance.

Search the listen up site for hearing aid sources of funding. You can go to

Miracle Ear Children's Foundation or the HIKE Fund (hearing impaired kids

endowment fund) thru Job's daughters. There is also the Starkey foundation.

If you're in MD, I think they have a law that h/as must be paid for by the

state.

The preauthorization does consist of an evaluation first, so the insurance

can't know right now if an implant is even warranted. I know that is

probably not the answer you want to hear right now.

It is good that you are learning some signs to give your duaghter access to

communication right away.

Good luck

maryemapa@...

>

u

[Guest guest]

Hi Sara,

When I found out my daughter was deaf, I was in the midst of something too,

so I can relate in a small way to how you are feeling with regard to you not

thinking you got your daugther what she needed back then. I hope it will

make you feel better to know that even with the best technology that many

parents still do not find out that their child is deaf or hard of hearing

until they are 18 mos - 2 years.

I think you're lucky you live near DC. Semesky is on our list and is

from land. You are also very close to Gallaudet University which has a

preschool program at their site (also a regular K - 12 school). They have a

whole program for deaf children who have cochlear implants. And if you

choose not to go that way, they can offer you other options. In fact, once

I went to DC on business and went to visit the University and people whom I

didn't even know helped me figure out what was going on with my daughter.

If you are in the DC area, do you or your husband work for the federal govt?

If so, I would like you to email me and maybe I can talk with you guys about

the federal employee insurance.

Search the listen up site for hearing aid sources of funding. You can go to

Miracle Ear Children's Foundation or the HIKE Fund (hearing impaired kids

endowment fund) thru Job's daughters. There is also the Starkey foundation.

If you're in MD, I think they have a law that h/as must be paid for by the

state.

The preauthorization does consist of an evaluation first, so the insurance

can't know right now if an implant is even warranted. I know that is

probably not the answer you want to hear right now.

It is good that you are learning some signs to give your duaghter access to

communication right away.

Good luck

maryemapa@...

>

u

[Guest guest]

Hi Sara,

Welcome to the group. The members of this group are really

wonderful and knowledable. I have to agree with - even with all

the best technology you don't always catch a hearing loss. My

daughter was tested with an ABR for the new born screening and failed,

but then passed a follow up behavioral hearing test at 6 months. We

didn't find out about her hearing loss until she was 15 months old.

We didn't even suspect a loss - she had moderate hearing loss and,

except for not speaking, she functioned really well - as it turned out

she had learned how to lip read and we never realized.

I think it's great that you're trying to gather as much

information as possible. I can also imagine this all seems pretty

overwhelming right now, but it will get easier once you figure

everything out. One of the most important pieces is already done -

identifying her hearing loss - now you can get her the help she needs

to catch up.

We are just beginning the battle for hearing aid coverage for

's 2nd set of aids. Her 1st set was paid for by our early

intervention program - I'm not sure how it works in all states, but

you may want to ask the person coordinating you daughter's services if

this is an option. It's standard where I live. Our insurance company

will cover prosthetic devices and a CI, but not hearing aids - I think

this is pretty ridiculous. I just called the general number for

insurance questions and asked if they generally cover CIs and

prosthetics. I didn't ask specifics about , but I still got some

general information to guide me. I'm gathering letters of medical

necessity from her audiologist, ent, and pediatrician and will start

the battle. I have heard of others winning this battle with my

insurance company, but I'm not sure how all this will turn out, but

its worth a try.

Cheryl (mom to 4, severe hearing loss, 2

hearing.)

> Hi Sara,

> When I found out my daughter was deaf, I was in the midst of

something too,

> so I can relate in a small way to how you are feeling with regard to

you not

> thinking you got your daugther what she needed back then. I hope it

will

> make you feel better to know that even with the best technology that

many

> parents still do not find out that their child is deaf or hard of

hearing

> until they are 18 mos - 2 years.

>

> I think you're lucky you live near DC. Semesky is on our list

and is

> from land. You are also very close to Gallaudet University

which has a

> preschool program at their site (also a regular K - 12 school).

They have a

> whole program for deaf children who have cochlear implants. And if you

> choose not to go that way, they can offer you other options. In

fact, once

> I went to DC on business and went to visit the University and people

whom I

> didn't even know helped me figure out what was going on with my

daughter.

>

> If you are in the DC area, do you or your husband work for the

federal govt?

> If so, I would like you to email me and maybe I can talk with you

guys about

> the federal employee insurance.

>

> Search the listen up site for hearing aid sources of funding. You

can go to

> Miracle Ear Children's Foundation or the HIKE Fund (hearing impaired

kids

> endowment fund) thru Job's daughters. There is also the Starkey

foundation.

> If you're in MD, I think they have a law that h/as must be paid for

by the

> state.

>

> The preauthorization does consist of an evaluation first, so the

insurance

> can't know right now if an implant is even warranted. I know that is

> probably not the answer you want to hear right now.

>

> It is good that you are learning some signs to give your duaghter

access to

> communication right away.

>

> Good luck

>

>

>

> maryemapa@h...

>

> >

> u