Hearing Levels
Anaya
Zee
Dakota
Amaris
Shaina
Bradley
Anaya is a 22-month-old girl who loves to cook with her mom – especially cookies! She also loves gardening and watching things grow.
Zee is a 10-year-old who hopes to become a professional actress or a photographer when they grow up.
Dakota is a 10-year-old girl who performs with a children’s circus in her spare time!
Amaris is an 11-year-old honor student who loves to swim with the dolphins!
Shaina is working on a graduate degree in organic chemistry.
Bradley excelled in all sports in high school.
Strengthening Families
The Coping Process
The birth of a baby is a wonderful reason for celebration. Ninety-five percent of babies who have been identified as Deaf or Hard of Hearing are born to hearing parents. Some parents may be unsure of what to do and what to expect for the future.
As you gain experience you will see your baby as a whole child entity. You will marvel at your child's abilities. You will start seeing possibilities rather than limitations.
Other parents, have been where you are now. There is an enormous amount of information and a great deal of support available to you.
Meet Deaf or Hard of Hearing adults and ask questions about their life experiences.
Ask lots of questions of parents and family members with a child who is Deaf/HH.
Remember, your child is a child first! Play, laugh, and have fun together. Learning is easiest when you are having fun.
Ask questions of teachers and Deaf adults. The more you know, the more confident you will feel about your child’s future.
This is a unique journey. You will receive a lot of suggestions from family, friends, and different professionals. Think about each suggestion carefully. Remember you are always gathering information and making your best decision at the time.
The birth of your baby is a wonderful reason to celebrate. You will mostly realize that the dreams you had for your baby are still possible. Treasure the joy of watching your baby grow and develop into a happy adult.
Your child has a bright future
In many ways your Deaf/HH child is like any other child. Your child will meet many milestones such as reaching for you and taking first steps. Your child will also be more visually acute. Your child will be more attuned to subtle movement. Your child’s gaze is attentive to details and your child’s brain is ready to absorb language. Communicate visually while you learn whether your child has the ability to access language auditorily. Your child can be multi-lingual by using American Sign Language (ASL) as their foundation language.
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