A new book, “He Is Not Me”, by Stuart McNaughton, tells the story of being deaf from birth – and opting for a cochlear implant in his twenties. Notably, Stuart’s parents mainstream-educated him, to equip him with real-world skills from the very start – with the support of teachers and professionals. Read: He Is Not
With bilateral cochlear implants (both ears) in Ireland’s news recently, here’s some information that may answer readers’ and families’ questions. Read: Who is a cochlear implant candidate? Some unilateral (single-ear) implant-wearers keep a hearing-aid in the other ear, and can recognise speech by listening through two ears. Others choose to ‘go bilateral’ with 2 cochlear
A teacher asked about using an iPad with a pupil who’s partially hearing: What apps for reading and English did the Sound Advice team recommend? How can the student listen to audio files and Skype, from their iPad? The student wears Phonak hearing aids and uses a FM system in school. This list suggests apps
As Ireland’s newborn hearing tests roll out nationally, India has initiatives that show how low-cost services are viable, even if resources are limited. Newborn hearing testing is rolling out in India, where the initiative in the city of Kochi received national attention. Since 2003, over 62,000 babies have been tested in 34 hospitals, with 92
Chicago-based ENT surgeon, Dana Suskind, who oversees pediatric cochlear implants, is researching a thirty-million-word gap she sees among implanted children from lower socio-economic backgrounds. By age 3, these children hear 30 million fewer words than peers from more affluent backgrounds. With babies known to hear in the womb before birth, Suskind has a point. Read
Newborn hearing testing in Ireland is progressing well, with potential impact on the lives of children eligible for unilateral or bilateral cochlear implants, the Medical Independent reports – but the system has follow-up ‘shortfalls’. Read: The Sound of Silence Early detection of hearing issues is essential for children to benefit from the cochlear implant programme, the MI quotes
“Hearing-aids are the avenue through which a child can listen [and learn]”, says US-based pediatric audiologist Jane Madell. Children who hear only what someone says directly in front of them, receive just 10 to 15 per cent of the information they need for incidental learning and language acquisition. Read: Helping Families Accept Hearing Technology Madell
Parents can be thrown on learning their baby or child is deaf, but with time, everyone finds what works for their family. As parent Lisa Ridge Valentine says, “If somebody told me how Nansi and Annie would be at four and five, I wouldn’t have the same worries I had when we were told they were
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