Miss-Delectable
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=398022&in_page_id=1770
When toddler Jordan Marchant-Winsor's father died suddenly, it seemed as though he had lost his lifeline to the world. Born profoundly deaf, like his mother Kerena, the little boy had both doted and relied on his father.
His death, from a mystery virus five years ago, had such a traumatic effect on Jordan that he stopped trying to speak, refused to communicate using sign language and turned off his hearing aids. 'Overnight he stopped talking and signing and lost all eye contact,' says his mother, who lives with him in Dorking, Surrey. 'We struggled to motivate him.'
But salvation arrived in the shape of a cocker spaniel puppy called Rupert. Bought for Jordan as a present by his grandmother, the pair were soon inseparable companions. What was even more important was that Rupert gave Jordan the will to communicate again.
'Rupert has been a wonderful friend to Jordan — a playmate and companion,' says Mrs Marchant.
'Most of all, he has given Jordan his speech back.' Jordan was just 18 months old when his father died. Mrs Marchant says: 'He had been with me and Jordan at a meeting for deaf children and the next day he was in intensive care with a mysterious illness. Ten days later, he died. 'Jordan's dad was able to hear and he always chatted with him. His death really lost Jordan his access to spoken language.'
Although a teacher, a speech therapist and a psychiatrist all tried to rekindle Jordan's enthusiasm for life, his mother said progress was 'slow and frustrating'.
Mrs Merchant was reluctant to get a dog, because she had been heartbroken at losing her own specially trained hearing dog some years before. But Rupert's arrival not only brought joy to her son, but also taught him that if he wanted the dog to obey him, he would have to talk to it. The pair now go together to dog obedience classes, where it is sometimes hard to tell who is master and who is pupil.
'They can both be naughty and sometimes Jordan is cheeky at dog training,' says Mrs Marchant. 'Last week I had to say "Jordan sit" and then "Rupert sit", much to everyone's amusement. 'Since getting Rupert, Jordan's life has slowly turned round, as a happier more confident child emerged. As a result of learning that he has to use his voice to make Rupert do things, Jordan is now wearing hearing aids to dog classes. Just watching Jordan saying 'Rupert Sit' and the little dog sitting gives me hope that Jordan will speak again. I think that through Rupert and further training, he will.'
When toddler Jordan Marchant-Winsor's father died suddenly, it seemed as though he had lost his lifeline to the world. Born profoundly deaf, like his mother Kerena, the little boy had both doted and relied on his father.
His death, from a mystery virus five years ago, had such a traumatic effect on Jordan that he stopped trying to speak, refused to communicate using sign language and turned off his hearing aids. 'Overnight he stopped talking and signing and lost all eye contact,' says his mother, who lives with him in Dorking, Surrey. 'We struggled to motivate him.'
But salvation arrived in the shape of a cocker spaniel puppy called Rupert. Bought for Jordan as a present by his grandmother, the pair were soon inseparable companions. What was even more important was that Rupert gave Jordan the will to communicate again.
'Rupert has been a wonderful friend to Jordan — a playmate and companion,' says Mrs Marchant.
'Most of all, he has given Jordan his speech back.' Jordan was just 18 months old when his father died. Mrs Marchant says: 'He had been with me and Jordan at a meeting for deaf children and the next day he was in intensive care with a mysterious illness. Ten days later, he died. 'Jordan's dad was able to hear and he always chatted with him. His death really lost Jordan his access to spoken language.'
Although a teacher, a speech therapist and a psychiatrist all tried to rekindle Jordan's enthusiasm for life, his mother said progress was 'slow and frustrating'.
Mrs Merchant was reluctant to get a dog, because she had been heartbroken at losing her own specially trained hearing dog some years before. But Rupert's arrival not only brought joy to her son, but also taught him that if he wanted the dog to obey him, he would have to talk to it. The pair now go together to dog obedience classes, where it is sometimes hard to tell who is master and who is pupil.
'They can both be naughty and sometimes Jordan is cheeky at dog training,' says Mrs Marchant. 'Last week I had to say "Jordan sit" and then "Rupert sit", much to everyone's amusement. 'Since getting Rupert, Jordan's life has slowly turned round, as a happier more confident child emerged. As a result of learning that he has to use his voice to make Rupert do things, Jordan is now wearing hearing aids to dog classes. Just watching Jordan saying 'Rupert Sit' and the little dog sitting gives me hope that Jordan will speak again. I think that through Rupert and further training, he will.'