Peer Issues

Peers are essential to deaf children at mainstream schools. If a child wishes, a mix of deaf and hearing friends gives the best of both worlds – while giving essential roots in their own local community where they live with their families.

Young children like to know other kids have hearing-aids or cochlear implants, especially when realising not everyone has hearing issues. Contact with other deaf children can be made via parents met on Facebook or at family meetings.

Teach About Sound, And Hearing-Devices At School

At school, teaching a child’s classmates about hearing is good. For young children, try books like “Oliver Gets Hearing-Aids“ or “Oliver Gets FM“. Some schools invite an audiologist to visit, or run classes to explain the science of everyday sound, hearing and hearing-devices.

Families and teachers have this excellent Cochlear Implant School Toolkit, to learn and teach about cochlear implants.

Older Children Can Advocate For Themselves

A young lad in Ireland wrote this poem: I am deaf and it’s OKAY, to convey his likes and dislikes to his school community.

Slightly older children like to network with others, for insights to challenges that may seem unique to themselves.

Positive identity results from peer contact, notably when similar hearing-devices and communication modes are used.

Childrens’ and teens’ activities and summer camps are another way for your child to connect with deaf peers.

Reading Biographies Builds Personal Identity

Older children may enjoy Helen Keller’s book, or reading how the inventions of Alexander Graham Bell and Vinton Cerf led to the Internet.

Reading biographies and novels with – and about – characters who’re deaf, is a fantastic way for teens to clarify their own personal identity, maybe after discussing the issues with people around them.

Like all youngsters, “Each individual must decide where they wish to be” in life and find their own path, even if this takes some time. Here’s how to talk with teens who have hearing issues!