A Success!

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all of you

again. I am certain that it was all of your generous sharing of

information as well as your encouragement that have led to our final

success at working with the school.

Some of you may remember that my son is 9, turning 10 in 25 days.

He was diagnosed with LVAS at age 4 and has a mixed bilateral loss,

that is mild/moderate with a few frequencies at severe. His loss

has fluctuated once, but been stable for 3 years or so. He was only

fitted with hearing aids 6 months ago and does not wear them

consistantly. He is extremely sensitive about being different in

any way and lives in fear of his peers learning that he wears

hearing aids. It has been recommended that he have a soundfield

system since he was in Kindergarten, or a personal FM system. In

kindergarten the school did testing and determined that his

education was not impacted by his hearing loss and said he did not

qualify. Each year they did additional observations and documented

that he was not impacted. In 3rd grade we moved, but I let my son

stay at his old school until the end of the year. He started at his

new school in 4th grade. In between this move, I found the listen

up list serv, as well as the LVAS list serv. These two sights led

me to all the other really great websites out there that educate

parents about hearing loss, the effects, dealing with schools, Carol

Flexer, etc...

I immedietly provided my son's new teacher with informtion about

hearing loss and how to help him have access in the classroom and

check for understanding etc. I put notice to the new psychologist

that I was gathering information and that I believed was not

being provided adequate access, etc. I researched and gathered

information, and eventually (it took all of 4th grade) we have a TOD

to consult with. The school has installed a soundfield system in

his classroom for next year, he has had functional hearing tests in

his new classroom, so we know this is going to be a huge help for

him next year. His teacher was selected specifically because she

will be most likely to be successful at giving my son the most

access to auditory information (teaching style, voice quality and

speech pattern were considered). We have a good start at a 504 plan

that will work and a plan to modify it the first month of school

according to teacher observation as well as " appropriate "

assessments. I can't tell you how relieved and thrilled I am. And

did I mention that the TOD is working with my son on the " emotional "

aspects of his hearing loss, has referred us to a councelor, and

actually gets it!!!

I honestly don't think I could have had the knowledge or the courage

to start or continue the fight if it were not for you all. So,

thank you, thank you, thank you!