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ProMedica hosts event to help parents with hearing-impaired children alleviate some fears | 13abc.com
Around 28 million Americans suffer from hearing loss and every year 12,000 babies are born deaf or hard of hearing, that's nearly three out of every 1,000 babies. Thursday night, ProMedica hosted a special event to help new parents alleviate some fears.
The deaf community is such a strong, supportive community in Northwest Ohio. Last night, several young adults told those parents with newly diagnosed kids about what it was like for them growing up with hearing loss.
David Kaiser and Joshua Northup have an important message. Growing up deaf is different, but do-able.
The two spoke on a panel last night to parents with newly diagnosed hearing-impaired children. They described what is was like going to school and making friends.
"There was definitely some hard times I experienced in school. Being mainstreamed in school is a big challenge for many kids. You're trying to keep up with the grade level and you don't want to fall behind," says Kaiser.
But with the help of their families and teachers they didn't fall behind, they flourished. Kaiser happily has three jobs. Northup is going back to school. He's now a student at the University of Toledo.
Northup says, "For the past ten years I was self-employed. I was a full-time independent contractor doing evaluations. I would travel around the country."
Experts at the ProMedica Hearing Center say early detection is critical. That's why every baby born in Ohio gets a hearing screening.
Last night's event was part of the infant hearing program called REACH. It's a grant program through the Ohio Department of Health. Many of the services and testing are available at Flower Hospital at no cost to families. Call 419-824-1392 for more information.
Around 28 million Americans suffer from hearing loss and every year 12,000 babies are born deaf or hard of hearing, that's nearly three out of every 1,000 babies. Thursday night, ProMedica hosted a special event to help new parents alleviate some fears.
The deaf community is such a strong, supportive community in Northwest Ohio. Last night, several young adults told those parents with newly diagnosed kids about what it was like for them growing up with hearing loss.
David Kaiser and Joshua Northup have an important message. Growing up deaf is different, but do-able.
The two spoke on a panel last night to parents with newly diagnosed hearing-impaired children. They described what is was like going to school and making friends.
"There was definitely some hard times I experienced in school. Being mainstreamed in school is a big challenge for many kids. You're trying to keep up with the grade level and you don't want to fall behind," says Kaiser.
But with the help of their families and teachers they didn't fall behind, they flourished. Kaiser happily has three jobs. Northup is going back to school. He's now a student at the University of Toledo.
Northup says, "For the past ten years I was self-employed. I was a full-time independent contractor doing evaluations. I would travel around the country."
Experts at the ProMedica Hearing Center say early detection is critical. That's why every baby born in Ohio gets a hearing screening.
Last night's event was part of the infant hearing program called REACH. It's a grant program through the Ohio Department of Health. Many of the services and testing are available at Flower Hospital at no cost to families. Call 419-824-1392 for more information.