K.I.D.S. with hearing loss ...Kids Impaired Do Succeed ©
K.I.D.S.
with hearing loss
Kids Impaired Do Succeed
May we be able to join our hearts together for our children and their success My name is Candace and I'm a proud Mother of 2 beautiful children. One of my children; my little girl, was born with hearing loss. When I started my support group I did it with the intent to help other families who might benefit from all of my years of research! I hope my website and my book have been helpful to you and will continue to be useful to you! Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, Brothers and Sisters, and all the rest ... Please enjoy your children just the very special and unique way that they are. Celebrate in their successes and kiss their boo-boos when they fall. After all, Kids will be Kids!
Please feel free to contact me by email at CandaceThompson@aol.com
Heaven's Very Special Child (posted in the newspaper under /Dear Abby/)
A meeting was held quite far from Earth
It was time again for another birth.
Said the Angels to the Lord above -
"This special child will need much love.
Her progress may be very slow
Accomplishment she may not show.
And she'll require extra care
From the folks she meets down there.
She may not run or laugh or play
her thoughts may seem quite far away
So many times she will be labeled
different, helpless and disabled.
So, let's be careful where she's sent.
We want her life to be content.
Please, Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.
They will not realize right away
The leading role they are asked to play.
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith, and richer love.
And soon they'll know the privilage given
In caring for their gift from heaven.
Their precious charge, so meet and mild
Is heaven's very special child."
Please remember - you are your child's voice. If you don't stand up for you child and their rights, nobody will. Your child needs YOU!
K.I.D.S. with hearing loss Kids Impaired Do Succeed ©
K.I.D.S. with hearing loss ... Kids Impaired Do Succeed ©
Have you been told your child has hearing loss?
Does a relative or a friend have a child who experiences hearing loss?
Does your child wear hearing aids?
Does your child need to learn sign language in order to communicate?
If you can say "yes" to any of these questions - then my book is for you!
My book is a great way of educating your family and friends
without you feeling over whelmed with having to explain everything yourself.
Purchase this book for them and encourage them to read it.
If they have any questions for you afterwards - at least they have already been given the "over view".
Please don't miss out on purchasing your very own copy!
Parents and grandparents are almost always the first to suspect that a child has hearing problems.
If your child has one or more of the following symptoms, he or she might be suffering from hearing loss.
If any of the symptoms mentioned below is present, you should contact your family doctor.
It is important to know that every child develops and grows up at his/her own pace.
Also, your child may suffer from mild hearing loss and display only a few mild symptoms that can be difficult to notice.
Mild hearing loss will always be detected in a hearing test.
Symptoms
1. Your child's speech is not progressing and remains monotonous (the speaking ability is not age appropriate).
2. Delayed and/or inappropriate speech recognition.
3. Failure to startle or wake to loud sounds.
4. Does not freely imitate sounds.
5. Inability to locate sounds (the infant or baby does not turn the head towards a sound such as your voice).
6. Inability to respond to sounds from another room.
7. Daydreaming and withdrawing from social interaction.
8. Frequent ear infections.
Hearing impairment in infants may be difficult to detect, but the sooner hearing loss is detected,
the better the chances for your child to socialize, communicate, learn, accept his or her hearing loss, and learn how to live with it.
Hearing loss can be identified very early on, sometimes immediately after birth.
Hearing aids can be useful from a very early age.
A story that is posted at www.hear-it.org
My child was born with hearing loss
All expectant parents dream about having a healthy child who does not have to struggle with problems at birth. When expecting their second child, Norwegian Gro Rugseth and her husband Jens were no exception. Their daughter, Guro, however, was born with a hearing handicap.
Gro and Jens had their first daughter Kaia in 1989. She was healthy and normal in every respect. So, when in 1992 Gro became pregnant again, they had certain expectations for their new baby.
"There is no history of hearing impairment in our families. Naturally, I thought about my child's future, but I was not overly worried. I tried to think about different kinds of problems, but you can never be fully prepared."
Pregnancy and birth went as planned. However, soon after giving birth Gro Rugseth began to wonder about her daughter's reactions.
"She was very slow to react and not very active, so we consulted our doctor to find out what was wrong. A number of tests were made. Her sense of hearing was tested several times, but each time the doctors stated that everything was all right."
As part of their efforts to find out what was wrong with Guro, the doctors ordered a scan to determine whether she might be suffering from brain damage. The scan, however, was negative.
For 10 months, Gro Rugseth tried to find out what was wrong with her daughter. 10 months which left their mark on all the family.
"Those 10 months were characterised by a suppressed feeling of stress where you oppress your own intuition. It was a very depressing period. While pregnant I had been wondering whether everything would be all right once she was born, but it had never occurred to me that she could be hearing-impaired. It was a tough period where I alternated between feelings of hope and desperation as the future of my child was uncertain."
Then, after 10 very long months, the doctors finally came up with a diagnosis. Gro Rugseth's daughter was born with a hearing handicap.
"It was a complete shock. It had never occurred to us that she might be hearing-impaired. We were devastated. We could do nothing ourselves to help our daughter. It was a long, hard struggle before we were all happy again. It was only once I began learning sign language that I felt once again like a competent mother who could communicate with her children."
Today, Gro Rugseth is the mother of three. The youngest was also born with a hearing handicap. Despite these problems and after a long uphill battle the family now functions normally. Nevertheless, the process has been beneficial for both the family and Gro Rugseth.
"I thought I was protected and untouchable, but suddenly my life took a new turn. I have learned humility towards other people's predicaments. Also, I feel very closely connected to my children. Our children's hearing impairment is a freak of nature, but today I feel that our quality of life is better because we have learned from the responsibility placed upon us!"