Re: Any Ideas

[Guest guest]

Welcome, Amy!

If I understand your post correctly, your daughter has unilateral deafness

(deaf in one ear, not both), correct?

My son just turned 8, has been in speech therapy for receptive and

expressive delays since the age of 2 (with hearing screenings done on an

annual basis), and didn't " flunk " a hearing screening until he was 5.5 years

old and in the middle of kindergarten. It turns out that he has a

Profound/Complete Sensoneural loss on his left side (cause unknown), which

certainly explains a great deal about his toddlerhood and his struggle to

acquire (and use) language.

is now getting ready to start 3rd grade, can't decide if he wants to

be Lightning McQueen or Jack Sparrow, and is about to play organized soccer

for the first time. He and his brother (who has normal hearing) attend a

Montessori program within our public school district - a school within a

school, if you will. We just happen to have another little girl in the next

classroom who also has a unilateral loss in her left ear, although her loss

isn't to the same degree that 's is (she has a 50db hearing threshold

on her left side), and their experiences have been completely different.

The commonality they have is that they both enjoy the " hands on " approach

that the Montessori materials provide, especially since so many of the

Montessori Works involve visual learning.

It sounds like your daughter is making quite a bit of progress - that's

wonderful news!

Hugs to you,

Kris

Mom to (8, Profound/Complete SNL, Left Ear) and Ethan (6, hearing)

_____

From: Listen-Up [mailto:Listen-Up ] On Behalf

Of Amy

Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2006 3:10 PM

To: Listen-Up

Subject: Any Ideas

I joined this group about a week ago. I am looking for people like

me. I have a 6 year old daughter who is moderate to severe deaf in

one ear. Her right cochlea is fused. This is not her only issue.

She was also born with a rare disorder that cuased her to have only

2 digits on each foot. We worried along time about her being able

to walk. We never worried about her hearing. She passed the

newborn hearing test. WHen she was 2 she still was not talking.

She constanly made noise just a few words. We were sentto an ENT

and they said that everything appeared fine. So we started Speech

therapy. After 6 months we saw no progress. We went to a an

evaluation center so that we could get her into a better program for

at risk kids. They also siad that her hearing appeared to be fine.

So we started her in a special daycare. They noticed that things

seem to be not right. So I took her to a third ENT. They said that

they need to do more specialized testing. They eventually had a Ct

doner and found that her right cochlea was fused. That was when she

was almost 4. It took us 4 years for us to be told that yes she has

a hearing problem. I have faced many challenges with her. It has

been 2 years since we finally told that she has a problem. We are

now learning sign language with her. SHe is pretty good. We have

kept her at the special school for kindergarten and she will start

first grade there. We are thinking about sending her to a school

for the deaf. ANy thought on this. We have heard many different

stories, but we are willing to listen to any pros or cons. I am a

school teacher and know a lot about education, but very little about

deaf schools.

Amy, mom of , 6 deaf, and Caroline, 3 hearing

[Guest guest]

Amy

I am not sure what stories you have heard about deaf schools. There

are isolated bad stories, but then there are isolated bad stories

about any schools, as far as I'm concerned.

After years in a special day class for DHH with some mainstreaming,

we decided to pack up and move to PA from California (several other

reasons, but finding this school sealed the deal) - I found a School

for the Deaf in Pittsburgh that had been there over 100 years and is

very very good. The staff has audiologists who can do CI mapping

AND know a lot about hearing aids. You can read about WPSD here:

http://www.wpsd.org

For us and for Hayley, this has been a very good move. If I thought

she signed fast before, now it is very fast. And the SLPs work

similar to what we had in CA. Hayley's engaged in activities at

WPSD and loves it.

I can't speak for the program at CSD - Riverside but on this

board can. And the Fremont program, I have heard is very good, and

the Florida School for Deaf and Blind is good. I am not sure where

you are. Our school is on the cutting edge of technology. I have

heard there are a group of deaf schools called Consortium of Private

Schools Serving the Deaf, but I do not know what schools are part of

that.

Our experience with WPSD has been wonderful. The downfall - I wish I

had done this when she was younger - she is 14 soon.

.. They eventually had a Ct

> doner and found that her right cochlea was fused. That was when

she

> was almost 4. It took us 4 years for us to be told that yes she

has

> a hearing problem. I have faced many challenges with her. It has

> been 2 years since we finally told that she has a problem. We are

> now learning sign language with her. SHe is pretty good. We have

> kept her at the special school for kindergarten and she will start

> first grade there. We are thinking about sending her to a school

> for the deaf. ANy thought on this. We have heard many different

> stories, but we are willing to listen to any pros or cons. I am a

> school teacher and know a lot about education, but very little

about

> deaf schools.

>

> Amy, mom of , 6 deaf, and Caroline, 3 hearing

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy and welcome. I have a 14 year old daughter with mod-severe loss in both

ears. She was diagnosed at almost 4 years old. We did Auditory verbal therapy

to teach her how to listen and talk - she was already verbal but delayed. She

has been mainstreamed from the beginning and is going to start 9th grade int he

fall. Does very well in school and is very social and does sports etc. Even

talks on the cell phone. I've got to go now so I can get her to swim practice.

in GA

[Guest guest]

Thank You for your input. we currently live in eastern North Carolina. We are

willing to move to the western part of the state where there is a school.

I am new to all od this. Can you tell me what CI mapping is.

maryemapa@...> wrote:

Amy

I am not sure what stories you have heard about deaf schools. There

are isolated bad stories, but then there are isolated bad stories

about any schools, as far as I'm concerned.

After years in a special day class for DHH with some mainstreaming,

we decided to pack up and move to PA from California (several other

reasons, but finding this school sealed the deal) - I found a School

for the Deaf in Pittsburgh that had been there over 100 years and is

very very good. The staff has audiologists who can do CI mapping

AND know a lot about hearing aids. You can read about WPSD here:

http://www.wpsd.org

For us and for Hayley, this has been a very good move. If I thought

she signed fast before, now it is very fast. And the SLPs work

similar to what we had in CA. Hayley's engaged in activities at

WPSD and loves it.

I can't speak for the program at CSD - Riverside but on this

board can. And the Fremont program, I have heard is very good, and

the Florida School for Deaf and Blind is good. I am not sure where

you are. Our school is on the cutting edge of technology. I have

heard there are a group of deaf schools called Consortium of Private

Schools Serving the Deaf, but I do not know what schools are part of

that.

Our experience with WPSD has been wonderful. The downfall - I wish I

had done this when she was younger - she is 14 soon.

.. They eventually had a Ct

> doner and found that her right cochlea was fused. That was when

she

> was almost 4. It took us 4 years for us to be told that yes she

has

> a hearing problem. I have faced many challenges with her. It has

> been 2 years since we finally told that she has a problem. We are

> now learning sign language with her. SHe is pretty good. We have

> kept her at the special school for kindergarten and she will start

> first grade there. We are thinking about sending her to a school

> for the deaf. ANy thought on this. We have heard many different

> stories, but we are willing to listen to any pros or cons. I am a

> school teacher and know a lot about education, but very little

about

> deaf schools.

>

> Amy, mom of , 6 deaf, and Caroline, 3 hearing

>

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Sure. Cochlear Implant Mapping. Hayley received a cochlear implant in

2002. I think MAPPING is an acronym but basically we sit down with

the audiologist and identify the comfort levels of the various sounds

in the channels of the cochlear implant. The audiologist adjusts the

software program which is downloaded to the CI Processor.

That is good that you are willing to move.

Thank You for your input. we currently live in eastern North

Carolina. We are willing to move to the western part of the state

where there is a school.

> I am new to all od this. Can you tell me what CI mapping is.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Amy,

I have a 7 year old that has a moderate loss in both her ears. She is an

oral child and is mainstreamed in our local school. She will be going into

second grade in the fall. I understand what you mean when you say you know a

lot about education. I'm also a teacher, but I am not currently teaching. I

thought that my daughter's first IEP meeting would be a breeze...HA! Quite

different being on the other side of the table.

We haven't looked into Deaf school ourselves, but I've heard of some great

ones. I think much like regular schools, there are some that shine, and some

that don't. The best way to find out about them is to talk to parents and

students who attend them and visit them to see if they are a fit. If you try

it out and find that it's just not the right situation, you can always change

your mind. Remember, nothing is written in stone when it comes to our kids.

Debbie, mom to , 7, moderate SNHL and , 3, hearing

Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were

and ask why not. G.B Shaw

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

Thank You for your story. My daughter makes lots of noises, but still says

nothing. Good luck in second grade. Where are you located?

AMy

Deb DiAnni babydewe2@...> wrote:

Hi Amy,

I have a 7 year old that has a moderate loss in both her ears. She is an oral

child and is mainstreamed in our local school. She will be going into second

grade in the fall. I understand what you mean when you say you know a lot about

education. I'm also a teacher, but I am not currently teaching. I thought that

my daughter's first IEP meeting would be a breeze...HA! Quite different being on

the other side of the table.

We haven't looked into Deaf school ourselves, but I've heard of some great ones.

I think much like regular schools, there are some that shine, and some that

don't. The best way to find out about them is to talk to parents and students

who attend them and visit them to see if they are a fit. If you try it out and

find that it's just not the right situation, you can always change your mind.

Remember, nothing is written in stone when it comes to our kids.

Debbie, mom to , 7, moderate SNHL and , 3, hearing

Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were

and ask why not. G.B Shaw

---------------------------------

Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+

countries) for 2¢/min or less.

[Guest guest]

Amy,

We were not " officially " aware of our son's hearing loss until he was 3. We

used sign with him from the very beginning because he wasn't verbally

communicating. He has always been in Total communication classrooms once he

was diagnosed. He has done better in the class he is now in (Florida) he

wasn't doing so well in CA. He carries on long conversations with us and

his peers here while in CA he would sign with family but not at school. He

also has other medical issues and they (CA) thought that was the major issue

to his inability to learn. He came here (FL) and excelled even

academically.

We have often felt that we would like him to be able to go to a deaf school

when my husband retires from the military. he is doing really well in his

neighborhood school here but there are quite of few D/HOH children in our

school PreK-6 a total of 13 most being in PreK-2 grade which makes perfect

peers for him.

If your local school district has a school that is near your home that

provides a TC classroom that may be an option to explore first before moving

to another city. And you can set up an appointment to visit the deaf school,

just to see if it would be a good fit for you all. Just a thought to

consider.

We have considered retiring in Western NC as well.

good luck,

kim mom to in FL

[Guest guest]

We are in Illinois, about 40 miles south of Chicago.

Debbie

Amy Carson marccarson4@...> wrote:

Thank You for your story. My daughter makes lots of noises, but still says

nothing. Good luck in second grade. Where are you located?

AMy

Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were

and ask why not. G.B Shaw

---------------------------------

Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+

countries) for 2¢/min or less.