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Thomas' Story
Told by his mother, Simone
Our gorgeous son, Thomas, was born by emergency caesar six weeks earlier than expected. Thomas underwent a standard ABR hearing test whilst in the unit as he was considered 'at risk' for hearing impairment due to his prematurity. My husband and I were extremely surprised when we were informed his results were abnormal but were told not to worry, as they were probably incorrect. The ABR was repeated when Thomas was six weeks old and I was devastated as I was watched Thomas fail test after test, I couldn't believe it when the audiologist started talking about hearing aids.
I felt so cheated and angry. We finally had the beautiful child we had dreamed of and the thought that he couldn't hear our voices was heartbreaking. However, by eleven weeks of age Thomas was fitted with hearing aids and enrolled in the Auditory-Verbal early intervention program at the Hear and Say Centre.
I look back now and wonder how we managed everything. We have had fantastic support through the Hear and Say Centre, which has provided us with opportunities to meet many beautiful, well-spoken, hearing impaired children and their parents, and helped us begin to accept Thomas' loss.
I can remember when Thomas' hearing aids were first turned on – we said hello to our little boy and his beautiful blue eyes opened wide. He had heard us and we felt such joy. I now think how lucky we are that Thomas's hearing loss was detected so early.
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Thomas with his mother, Simone.
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The story of our five children, four of whom are hearing impaired
Told by their mother, Annie
My husband and I have five children who keep us very busy. The fact that four of them are hearing impaired to some degree just makes us a little bit more busy.
When we married I was aware that there was a hereditary hearing impairment in his family. My husband is hearing impaired, as are many of his relatives. They are all very successful people and I falsely assumed that having hearing impaired children would be an easy path to tread.
I first heard of the Hear and Say Centre through our Advisory Visiting Teacher for the Hearing Impaired, who suggested I ring seeking advice about speech therapy.
The first time I phoned I spoke to the founder, Dimity Dornan. She was so lovely and understanding and let me pour out my whole story. She told us to come down for an appointment. She greeted us at the door and we sat in her office for two hours discussing our case.
It was so healing to have someone understand and care. Someone we could talk to who knew the lingo and knew what it was like to live with hearing impaired kids. My isolation began to fade.
The children's speech and language test results were found to be well above the average for normal hearing children their age. So everything we had done from the moment we became aware of their deafness was working. We had spoken to their faces, loudly and clearly. We had read them books, lots of books, and we had answered every question they had as fully as we could. It had been hard work but it had been worth it.
All in all, we have been incredibly blessed by the support and help from the Hear and Say Centre. They are doing something amazing for us and so many other families struggling with hearing impairment.
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The children's speech and language test results were found to be well above the average for normal hearing children their age.
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Carl's Story
Told by his mother Loretta
Carl was diagnosed at birth with a hearing problem, and after many hearing tests was fitted with hearing aids at 6-8 months of age. Trying to get Carl to keep his aids in was the hardest obstacle to overcome. We went for interviews at three different schools and the first one we went to made me want to run away and hide Carl from the world.
Then the Hear and Say Centre, with Dimity, helped me realise that these children with hearing problems can do anything any hearing child can do. They don't need sign language, they just have to learn how to listen. If ever I had questions or was worried about Carl, all I had to do was pick up the phone. How do you thank someone who is so dedicated to these children? The teachers at this Centre are so wonderful, patient, and understanding that Carl could never wait to go back!
Carl can now do anything and everything. Talk! Sometimes I just wish I could have five minutes of peace. It might seem that when first told of your child's hearing impairment that your world has just closed, but in reality it has just opened. You get to spend extra-quality time with your special child and when those first long awaited words come out, that world that was closed has just opened up to be so much brighter.
To all parents, my best advice to you is to have no fears. Your child will cope with anything better than you will!
Thank you everyone from the bottom of our hearts.
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Carl - a star in grade one!
I was terrified that Carl would be bullied at school for being different, but the opposite has happened. Carl is extremely popular at school.
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Hamish and Madeleine's Story
Told by their mother, Bronwen
I have boy/girl twins and both have a moderate-severe bilateral hearing loss. Hamish's loss has since progressed to a mixed sloping severe loss mainly due to chronic ear infections.
Hamish and Madeleine's hearing loss was diagnosed at six weeks of age by an ABR test. We were fortunate that we found out early. The test was performed because of their father's family history of hearing impairment.
I went through the process of grief less intensely at first, and felt it more as the children were growing and as I began to understand the implications of their hearing loss. At times in conversation, something would be said with pity or lack of knowledge about Hamish and Madeleine's hearing impairment, and the sadness and sense of loss would 'stab' at me. It was hard not to get caught up in this sadness and feeling of 'not doing enough for them'. After a while a sense of balance returned and an enormous self-growth occurred through grief, but also through the acquisition of knowledge.
I heard about Dimity's great work with deaf children using an Auditory-Verbal program. After a quick visit to see Dimity whilst 'traveling through' Brisbane, we became 'remote clients' of the Hear and Say Centre.
There were many wonderful things that the Centre 'gave' to my children and myself over the five years we were 'clients'. A sense of empowerment and direction came because of the vast amounts of quality information provided; a feeling of being supported and listened to; a 'gathering' of friends and a sense of community; and an enrichment and delight in the enjoyment of the 'product', that is, my children!
Take each day as it comes, and never forget the 'magic' in your child.
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Hamish and Madeleine are happy and well-adjusted children.
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The Della Rosa Story
Told by her mother, Janelle
Della was born a beautiful, healthy baby and for her first ten months of life absolutely blossomed. Della contracted pneumococcal meningitis at the very vulnerable age of ten months, and came close to dying. After a slow recovery, Della was diagnosed as having a severe to profound hearing loss, caused by the bout of meningitis.
After my initial feelings of denial about the level of Della's hearing loss, I decided to get on with doing what was best for Della. I didn't want Della to miss out on anything.
She received her first hearing aids at 16 months of age, and was more fond of pulling them out of her ears than actually keeping them in! This was a frustrating and worrying time for me, as I desperately wanted Della to understand the benefit of keeping her hearing aids in. Looking back, it is hard to believe we ever had a problem, as they are now the first thing she asks for in the morning, and the last thing she takes out before she goes to sleep.
By the time Della was 17 months old, we were having our first lesson at the Hear and Say Centre. It did not take very long to decide which type of early intervention I wanted for Della. For me, there was absolutely no alternative, but to follow the Auditory-Verbal pathway. I wanted Della to learn to listen, speak, and communicate in the hearing world. I wanted her to have every opportunity, that she would have had, had she not lost her hearing through that dreadful disease.
'Once upon a time there was a little girl named Della, she listens, she speaks, and most importantly, she lives life to the fullest!!!!'
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Della is above average in her speech and comprehension. She attends a mainstream school full-time and absolutely loves it!
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