Anyone Else have Children with Hearing Aids?

[Fergasun]

Unfortunately, not quite as fun as other topics. My 7-year old was just diagnosed within the past month as needing hearing aids. She is not deaf, but maybe 10-40% hard of hearing in both ears. We got her fitted a couple weeks ago and they came in today.

So far, so good - but our family has no idea what to expect in the next 6 months and beyond. My wife has taken it harder, but today not as bad - her devices were hidden under her hair.

Would like any advice on anything related to hearing aids - maybe others here grew up hearing impaired. We have had a rough month going through grief stages, etc.

Our daughter has been awesome and excited,

and is taking things in stride.

[Kosher Ham]

How is her speech ? That would really be my only concern and the potential for total hearing loss. 

 

Some of the coolest people I have known over the years wore hearing aids. What is the grief for ? 

[Major Harris]

Kosh, if u don't have kids you wouldn't understand. Parents hurt when something is wrong with their kids.

Ferg, neither of my kids wear hearing aids. I have worked with several kids that do. They have been some of the most determined, sweetest kids I've met.

I wish u and your kids the best.

[pjfootballer]

I'll start with Ferguson:

 

Man, it sounds like your daughter is a typical kid.  She put them in and is moving on in life like they aren't even there.  I think I'd take her lead and just roll with it.  Don't make a huge issue out of it.  Eventually it will not even be an issue and close family and friends won't even think about it and she probably won't either. I'd probably keep spares in case they get broken or lost until she gets older and I'd keep extra batteries around. Sounds like it hasn't slowed her down.  She sounds like she's just going to move on with life and not let it get in her way.  Good for her. 

 

Kosh:

 

Agree.  Maybe if Ferguson and his wife see any signs of speech problems related to hearing, with her being so young and now able to hear 100%, it will work itself out or she can go to a speech therapist.

 

Major:

 

Sure, I get that being a parent is a different level.  But to disregard people's opininon because they don't have kids is being harsh. I think Kosh wasn't trying to be rude, but I think he wanted to know why there was greif instead of maybe worry or concern. But I can't speak for him. I think we associate grief more with loss.

 

I find it funny that "parents" think people without kids have no empathy or don't feel the same for a child.  I was around when all of my neices and nephew were growing up.  I was like another parent to them because my sister went through multiple marriages.  My nephew was born with an Arachnoid Cyst on the base of his brain.  We thought he would be blind and severly autistic.  He had several surgeries on his eyes as an infant and child, and had to wear "coke bottle" glasses growing up.  You don't think that I as his uncle, didn't feel the pain and agony for him? He could have been completely blind!!!  You don't think that us "parentless" people don't have worries, agnst and concern for family or friends?  I've had 12 surgeries in my life.  I know what he went through.

 

Lucky for us, he's now 22, living in Boston with his girlfriend, doesn't wear any glasses and is a borderline genius IQ (we think because of the cyst that was never removed and doesn't hurt him).   

 

I have a great nephew that didn't hit all of his development marks.  My neice has been taking him somewhere to work with him and now he's catching up.  If you didn't think it didn't break my heart as his great uncle to see him struggle, I'm not sure what to think. 

 

Sure we don't have kids and I get what you are saying with regards to the "biological" connection, but it hurts us people who don't have kids, to just dismiss our feelings or advice. Like I said, I helped raise my two oldest neices. We're human too.

[Major Harris]

I didn't mean to come across that way. But it's no lie that your worldview, emotions, your whole being changes when you have kids.

It's why almost every parent ever had told their kids that they won't know how much they love them until they have kids of their own.

I have 3 nieces / nephews. I love them dearly. It doesn't compare to how i feel about my kids.

Ferg didn't use the word grief, kosh did.

Sorry kosh if i was rude.

[skinsmarydu]

You don't think that us "parentless" people don't have worries, agnst and Sure we don't have kids and I get what you are saying with regards to the "biological" connection, but it hurts us who don't have kids to dismiss our feelings. We're human too.

I wouldn't agree that all parents dismiss us, but in my humble human relations, most do.

And that's sad, because we all differ in how we would/could/should do certain things in regards to our children, and it comes from how we were or weren't raised.

I'm told (pretty much all the time) that "a child can't be raised the way you were", by someone older than me...

As if the word "no" was an anomaly...to a now 30-year-old. IMO, a bed made is the bed laid in. Sorry to the person who ignored every warning.

I would never embarrass my parents this way. But nevermind, I've never been a parent, so I know nothing.

Edit:  sorry for the derail...my best to your daughter, Ferg...I know my dad's last set cost a pretty penny, so I hope you're good on that end as well.

[Major Harris]

Man u all getting all offended.

No one ever said u don't know anything or don't have any advice to give.

I'm talking about emotional reactions to situations involving your own child.

I, even though a parent, don't have the same kind of love for other kids, even family, as their parents.

Sorry for the derail.

[Kosher Ham]

I didn't mean to come across that way. But it's no lie that your worldview, emotions, your whole being changes when you have kids.

It's why almost every parent ever had told their kids that they won't know how much they love them until they have kids of their own.

Ferg didn't use the word grief, kosh did.

Sorry kosh if i was rude.

. I don't take it as rude. We're good. Ferguson certainly stated that they were having grief. Also, I agree with you about the love for your own.

[pjfootballer]

I didn't mean to come across that way. But it's no lie that your worldview, emotions, your whole being changes when you have kids.

It's why almost every parent ever had told their kids that they won't know how much they love them until they have kids of their own.

I have 3 nieces / nephews. I love them dearly. It doesn't compare to how i feel about my kids.

Ferg didn't use the word grief, kosh did.

Sorry kosh if i was rude.

Sure, like I said, I get the difference. No problem.

Actually Ferguson said "grief stages."

[Kosher Ham]

Pj, that's what I was thinking also.

[Major Harris]

My bad on the grief usage lo

[Dan T.]

Fergasun, your daughter sounds like a wonderful child.

 

My kids have perfect hearing yet somehow they barely hear a word I say. 

[zoony]

My bad on the grief usage lo

Quit apologizing good grief

you were correct

Fergasun, your daughter sounds like a wonderful child.

 

My kids have perfect hearing yet somehow they barely hear a word I say.

This! Though they hear me fine when I yell.

[dfitzo53]

I get where everyone is coming from on this.  I think the advice is useful from all sides, and I think Major's point that you just won't know those actual parental feelings unless/until you have them is valid.  It doesn't detract from any advice giving.

 

Fergasun, if your daughter is taking things in stride then the biggest battle is already won.  

 

I don't have much experience with hearing impairment, I'll give my 2 cents as a teacher.  Discreetly make sure her teacher and any other adults who work with her know that she has hearing aids if they don't already know.  You might also ask the social worker/speech therapist/counselor etc. at your school or in your school system for guidance.  They have likely dealt with this a number of times in the past and can probably give advice and resources on what to do next and any coping strategies your daughter might need.

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

Good luck Ferg.  We didn't experience any issue like your daughter is, but we did go through some minor road bumps early on.  Mine was born with a cleft palate so she was prone to more ear infections.  She kept failing the hearing tests due to fluid build up in her ears from all that.  

 

Had two ear tube surgeries and the cleft palate repair.  Big thing was the speech as mentioned and that can be treated.  We got very lucky and she didn't need speech therapy.  

 

It's a lot different now though, treatments and medical advancements are leaps and bounds ahead of what was available when we were that age (30+ years ago).  A close friend of ours son's speech didn't develop hardly at all.  Little man would talk and you had to decipher a lot of the words because they were jumbled.

 

They took him to a speech therapist, now you wouldn't even know he had any issues at all.  It was like night and day.  Your daughters got this.  

[Fergasun]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone - I did use "grief" because it is sad for us as parents to see things we perceive as roadblocks to the success of our children. My wife has taken it a little harder in that respect.

First day went fine - one of her friends did get upset a bit and was mad because he didnt understand. They are close and we felt bad because my wife and his mom are close. My daughter is a champ.