Cochlear Implant | Krystyann Krywko, Ed. D.

Literacy, Play, and Hearing Loss

12/05/2012

As parents of children with hearing loss we often forget about the importance of play in the lives of our children. When we sit down at their yearly review –whether it’s for an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) our children are presented to us in terms of skills acquired, goals needed to be met, and age appropriate markers. Play is often an overlooked component of a child’s intellectual, social, emotional, and linguistic development (Stewart & Clarke, 2003).

But play is a way to meet your child on his own terms, where he can be free to explore and create. It’s a way to engage in language and literacy in a non-threatening space whether you are creating imaginary worlds out of Lego, or taking a walk and looking for leaves.

Here are some ways to put a little more language into your play:

Theme of the week: grab a plastic bin and put in an assortment of related objects. One week it could be animals, the next week different colored items, cooking utensils, or art supplies. Change the contents frequently. Make these child accessible starting from the youngest age. Help your child organize the contents of the box. What stories can she tell? What are the objects for? What can she create?

There’s no app for that: While there are numerous educational apps and computer software programs, and many of them are very good, there is still no substitute for the learning and language that occurs when people are engaged with each other. So instead of pulling out the iPad the next time you need to get some work done around the house, or while you are out running errands invite your child to join you instead. There are great language moments in so many daily activities: grocery shopping (what kind of vegetables should we buy for dinner? Should we buy red or green apples?); laundry (please put all the red shirts in the washing machine first); and baking cookies (check out the speechandlanguagekids.com for some tips on baking and language).

Don’t always be there for your child: at least not when it comes to play. Encourage independent play. Open ended toys are the best for this for example, a box of puppets, cardboard boxes for building, dress up clothes, open ended art supplies such as clay, paints, markers, construction paper.

Filed Under: Education 2 Comments

The Hard Work of Listening

09/28/2012

Listening is hard work! If you have typical hearing you don’t even think about it. Your ears are always on, ready to receive new information. “It takes no effort to hear,” says Dr. Carol Flexer, professor emeritus of Audiology at the University of Akron, “hearing occurs all the time…at every moment of the day.”

However, if you have a hearing loss, even a mild hearing loss, you spend a great deal of time and energy listening and interpreting information that needs to get to your brain. Trying to focus on what your teacher is saying while blocking out the whispers and giggles of your classmates, not to mention the squeaky chairs, can be hard work. Remember hearing aids and implants make all sounds louder.

All this noise generally results in a cranky and tired child at the end of the school day that unfortunately coincides with your desire to pepper them with questions about their day, which leads to still more required listening on their part.

Here are some tips to help both you and your child transition through the “listening fatigue” that often sets in after the school day, or a therapy session:

If you pick your child up from school make sure the radio is turned down and the windows are up, if possible, to reduce noise from traffic. The noise from fans blowing heat or cold air can also be too much at the end of the day. A quiet car will also help your child recharge on the way to his after-school activities.

If your child takes the bus home from school try to arrange for her to sit near the front. It’s generally a lot less noisy the closer you are to the driver.

Try a “listening break.” Jennifer Rosenberg, speech language pathologist in NYC, often recommends this approach to her patients. A listening break involves letting your child remove their hearing equipment (hearing aids/CI processors/BAHA) for a specified period of time. Set a timer and let him do what he wants and take break from listening. After the timer goes off, back goes the hearing equipment.

Make sure that your house has is quiet and welcoming at the end of the day – try to not have the radio/TV blasting, the dishwasher going, or the dog and the cat chasing around the living room.

Let your child watch a captioned DVD or TV show; or let her curl up on the couch to look at a book. Looking does not take as much work as listening, and shifting the focus to another sense helps her unwind.

Let your child spend some quiet time alone. My son loves to pile up pillows and blankets and bury himself in them. He says he enjoys being “in the middle of still.”

Filed Under: Coping, Education 1 Comment

5 Ways to Bring a Little Bling to your Child’s Hearing Aids (and CIs)

09/19/2012

Unlike adult hearing aid wearers who want their hearing aids to blend in, young children love to see their hearing aids decorated in bright colors and stickers in order to make them cool or pretty. There are all sorts of accessories that are available for hearing aids – stickers, charms, glittery ear molds. Your child might enjoy the chance to decorate his hearing aids in his own unique style so that others can see what sports, colors, or activities he likes.

When my son first wore his hearing aids (they were decorated with soccer ball stickers) to his preschool class, one of the little girls was so excited that she went home and told her mom that when she got her hearing aids she wanted pink ones with glitter!

Below is a top five round-up of websites for some ideas:

Ear-Gear – Colorful and practical at the same time! Ear Gear bills itself as “Hearing Instrument Armor” They describe their product as “a water resistant double layered, spandex nylon sleeve that protects hearing instruments from loss, rain, sweat, dust and dirt, and makes hearing instruments more comfortable to wear.”

As an added bonus they make a pair with a cord and a clip that attach to the back of your child’s shirt. When my son was small he wore the ones with the cord and clip to school and when he was playing outside. Now that he is a little bit older he wears the sleeve only when he is skiing, playing hockey, or just running around on a humid day.

Plus, Ear Gear is a family run business, and they have a great story of how the product was developed (hint: it all began with a mother’s frustration). Read their story here. Love this company!

Hayleigh’s Cherished Charms – This site will bring out the fashionista in you! (Good luck choosing just one!) Hayleigh is young girl who decided to take her hearing aids to the next level and decorate them for all to see. Her designs are constantly changing and are perfect to add a little extra oomph to your hearing aids and cochlear implants. My son loves the “tube twists”, which come in orange, his favorite color. Next purchase, we are going to ask Hayleigh if she can make a custom pair of NY Rangers twists!

Stickers – These are probably my son’s favorite, plus I like them because they are so easy to change. Custom-sized stickers and decals are generally available from almost any hearing aid or cochlear implant company. The stickers we received from Oticon are sport themed so my son can display his favorite sports and change them as often as he wants. Ask your audiologist, or contact the company directly.

Tube Riders – Another cool idea started by a mom (gotta love those moms!) Originally conceived to help her son personal his glasses, but with a little experimentation (and a suggestion from her husband) they expanded to hearing aids. Slip them on and change them up!

DIY decoration – If you are one of those crafty people, then you are only limited by your imagination! For inspiration Google “hearing aid” or “cochlear implant” decorations. You will be amazed at what you find. This blog post has a great round-up of photos. Have fun!

Filed Under: Hearing Loss, Self Esteem Leave a Comment

Back to School With Hearing Loss

08/24/2012

As the final weeks of August drift by back to school preparations shift into high gear. It’s time to begin thinking about life in the classroom for your child with hearing loss. September generally means new teachers, possibly a new school, maybe even a new district.

Here are some tips to get you, and your child, back up and running:

Review your child’s IEP. Many states have their annual IEP meeting in the spring, so while you might remember the big picture, details might have slipped you mind. Refresh your mind with the specifics so you are better able to follow up with teachers and administrators during the first few weeks of school.

Make contact with your child’s teacher. This is especially important if your child is new to the school or district. Schedule a meeting with the main classroom teacher and discuss any concerns, demonstrate how equipment works, drop off batteries, etc. For a straightforward and simple way to explain your child’s hearing needs try the All About My Ears: Classroom Info sheet.

Make a classroom plan This can be tweaked in the early weeks of the school year, but take the time to write down potential concerns and think of ways they can be address. Is your child’s classroom carpeted? If not, does it make sense to put tennis balls on desk chairs. What about lunch room issues – is the cafeteria too noisy? Does your child need to eat in a quieter space? How will teachers ensure that FM travels with your child?

Schedule appointments with audiologist, and other professionals, to check if hearing aids and cochlear implants are working correctly. Back to school is also a good time to schedule your child’s annual hearing test to make sure there are no changes to hearing and equipment can be adjusted if necessary. If you child received services, such as speech or play therapy, over the summer make sure to get a written summary of progress made for your records.

Make a plan: new classrooms, new grade level, new district can all heighten your child’s anxiety. Talk/role play ways your child can ask a teacher to clarify what they are saying, or how to interact and respond to questions from new classmates. A little preparation and a positive attitude can go a long way!