One last textbook, one more DVD and then I take the test.
I have been reading about hard of hearing children in schools.
Interestingly, the book says that DHH children with loss of hearing in only one ear, tend to have more behavioral problems than those with normal hearing, or have hearing loss in BOTH ears. (Actor Rob Lowe is deaf in one ear since as a baby.) Interesting, huh?
It also has been said that cochlear implants are much more effective, when done on children with hearing loss. It is a wise DHH teacher who checks the cochlear implants at least once a day to make sure they are functioning well.
A few more comments. Children who have EVEN A MILD HEARING LOSS will suffer in school environments. Do not make the mistake of assuming they will do as well as hearing children. They won’t. Pay attention to them as they progress through the school years.
Also, hearing loss is the most common disability found in newborn babies. About 3% to 6% per 1,000 newborns have bilateral (both ears) permanent hearing loss.
About 15% of school age children have some sort of hearing loss.
So, pay attention to how the DHH child takes in educational information. Do they do better audiologically or do they do it vision-wise? This will have a big impact on how they study and do in school. For me, it was vision-wise much more over hearing, although I did work hard to utilize my residual hearing.
In my next post, I will try to explain how DHH children are defined as being either hard of hearing or deaf.
For me, although I can hear sounds, I’m actually what is called functionally deaf.
My posts will be less frequent as the time of my exam comes near. I will go back to posting more once I receive the certificate. (I hope!)
So bear with me, I will be back.
