advice – Open Ears Archive

We love it when people share their hearing loss stories with us on social media. Our community often provides comfort, encouragement, inspiration and support for others in similar situations.

Recently we connected with one of our Instagram friends who we think has a wonderful story to share. I had the opportunity to chat with Kellie, the mom of 7-month-old Gabby, about a video she shared with us. This is their story:

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Jill: Thanks for connecting with us on Instagram! Can you tell us a bit more about Gabby’s hearing loss?

Kellie: While we were in the hospital when Gabriella was born, she failed both hearing screenings. After that we took her to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for another screening and two Baer tests, all of which came back showing that she was profoundly deaf in both ears.

Jill: What did you expect going into her first hearing aid appointment? Continue reading “Community Spotlight: Gabby’s first hearing aids”

Heading back to school each fall always brought mixed emotions. Sure, it’s exciting preparing for another year, getting excited to see your friends again and get into a routine, but it could also bring anxiety about the unknown. Will I like my teachers? Will I have friends in my class? Am I going to be able to understand all the formulas in math class?

I assume for parents, especially parents of children with hearing loss, the first few weeks of school can be just as stressful. How do you ensure you’re giving your child the support and tools they need to succeed in the classroom?

To get some advice, I turned to social media to ask parents to share their best back-to-school tips.

Continue reading “Back To School: Real Advice from Parents with Hard-of-Hearing Kids”