| When Estelle was diagnosed as severely deaf when | | | | spend time together. |
| she was 18 months old, Estelle's mum, Joanna was | | | | Jo says that speaking to others in the same boat was |
| devastated. "All I wanted was to speak to another | | | | the "tonic I needed." |
| parent of a deaf child who could tell me that Estelle | | | | "It gave me hope and made me see that all the initial |
| would be okay," she says. "Instead I was given a | | | | dreams I had for my daughter were still very much |
| 'showbag' full of dry medical brochures and sent home | | | | achievable, regardless of her hearing loss," she says. "It |
| to deal with my child's hearing loss. I sat on my bed | | | | is wonderful that we can all be there for each other. |
| and cried for days." | | | | Important decisions that we have to make for our |
| Joanna's story isn't an isolated one. More than 90% of | | | | children - such as what school to send them to, |
| deaf children are born to hearing families who have | | | | whether or not to sign with them, give them hearing |
| little or no experience of deafness. For many of these | | | | aids or cochlear implants - these decisions seem much |
| parents, their child is often the first deaf person they | | | | easier to make after speaking with other parents and |
| have ever met. No wonder so many report feeling | | | | finding out what works and what didn't in their own |
| isolated and confused following the diagnosis. | | | | journeys with hearing loss." |
| Parents of deaf children can feel overwhelmed by the | | | | Estelle is now a bright, confident 10 year old. She is |
| choices that have to be made as to how to best | | | | very happy at the mainstream school she attends and |
| support their child. Without being fully informed of all the | | | | has plenty of friends. Along with a visiting teacher once |
| options, they may begin to feel pressure to adopt one | | | | a week, she also has a teacher's aide and her |
| communication approach over another, and as a result, | | | | teachers wear RF units which transmit their voice |
| may end up making rash decisions. | | | | directly to Estelle's hearing aids. She loves to learn, is a |
| The support of parents who have been through these | | | | fantastic dancer and has dreams to own her own |
| experiences can often be an invaluable source of | | | | hairdressing salon one day. |
| comfort and inspiration. Family to family support is one | | | | If you are a parent of a newly diagnosed deaf child, |
| of the best ways parents can gather knowledge and | | | | then one of the best things you could do for yourself is |
| skills they need to navigate the world of deafness. | | | | find a parent support group in your area. These groups |
| Joanna's desperate need to speak to another parent | | | | are a terrific way of exchanging ideas and obtaining |
| who had gone through a similar experience motivated | | | | encouragement to face some of the challenges of |
| her to set up a parent support group which has since | | | | raising your deaf child. And if you have been on the |
| become one of the largest parents of deaf children | | | | journey for some time now, then why not offer your |
| support networks in the country. The group's primary | | | | own experiences and guidance to someone who is |
| aim is to provide friendship, support and inspiration to | | | | new in the world of hearing loss? You could |
| parents of deaf and hard of hearing children but it also | | | | significantly reduce their stress levels and even change |
| gives their children a much needed opportunity to | | | | their life... |