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Parent Advisors Bring Hope To Families With Deaf Children - WBOY-TV - WBOY.com
Nowadays, most babies have their hearing tested before they leave the hospital. And finding out there’s a problem can be a very difficult thing for the parents to deal with. But one West Virginia program is bringing in-home help to many families around the state.
“It’s very hard initially, when you find out something’s wrong with your child,” said Amelie’s mother, Lynnsey Jacks. “Especially when they’re so young and you don’t have other characteristics to compensate for that.”
Amelie was born a beautiful, healthy baby, six and a half months ago. The only thing that raised an eyebrow, was when she failed her newborn hearing test.
“But we were initially told that it’s very common for newborns to fail this, and have perfectly fine hearing, so we really didn’t worry about it too much,” said Jacks.
But one month later, doctors determined Amelie was profoundly deaf.
“They can test up to 90 decibels, the sound of a lawnmower. And she can’t hear at that level.”
At first, Lynnsey and her husband felt overwhelmed, and alone.
“Ninety-five percent of families who have children with hearing loss, don’t have it themselves or in their immediate families,” explained Patricia Schaeffer, a parent adviser, with the West Virginia School for the Deaf.
But through the Ski*Hi program, that the West Virginia school of the deaf offers, parent advisers like Schaeffer, have helped ease the anxiety.
Once a week, Schaeffer comes to the Jacks' home, to help the family deal with Amelie’s hearing loss.
“I hope that the first thing they get out of it is a feeling of support,” said Schaeffer. “That we’re there to support them and help them. I hope they develop a sense of confidence, and they are able to feel hope in what they are doing and that it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.”
Schaeffer has Jacks read to Amelie, even though she can’t hear the words.
“It’s helping her listen to the patterns of language because language is much more than vocabulary.”
In Amelie’s world, she may not have sound. But she has many people working, to give her the best treatment possible.
“It’s really just been great support,” said Jacks.
This Ski*Hi program is available to families with children with hearing loss, from birth to five years old. For more information, go to SKI-HI Institute Home Page .
Nowadays, most babies have their hearing tested before they leave the hospital. And finding out there’s a problem can be a very difficult thing for the parents to deal with. But one West Virginia program is bringing in-home help to many families around the state.
“It’s very hard initially, when you find out something’s wrong with your child,” said Amelie’s mother, Lynnsey Jacks. “Especially when they’re so young and you don’t have other characteristics to compensate for that.”
Amelie was born a beautiful, healthy baby, six and a half months ago. The only thing that raised an eyebrow, was when she failed her newborn hearing test.
“But we were initially told that it’s very common for newborns to fail this, and have perfectly fine hearing, so we really didn’t worry about it too much,” said Jacks.
But one month later, doctors determined Amelie was profoundly deaf.
“They can test up to 90 decibels, the sound of a lawnmower. And she can’t hear at that level.”
At first, Lynnsey and her husband felt overwhelmed, and alone.
“Ninety-five percent of families who have children with hearing loss, don’t have it themselves or in their immediate families,” explained Patricia Schaeffer, a parent adviser, with the West Virginia School for the Deaf.
But through the Ski*Hi program, that the West Virginia school of the deaf offers, parent advisers like Schaeffer, have helped ease the anxiety.
Once a week, Schaeffer comes to the Jacks' home, to help the family deal with Amelie’s hearing loss.
“I hope that the first thing they get out of it is a feeling of support,” said Schaeffer. “That we’re there to support them and help them. I hope they develop a sense of confidence, and they are able to feel hope in what they are doing and that it doesn’t feel so overwhelming.”
Schaeffer has Jacks read to Amelie, even though she can’t hear the words.
“It’s helping her listen to the patterns of language because language is much more than vocabulary.”
In Amelie’s world, she may not have sound. But she has many people working, to give her the best treatment possible.
“It’s really just been great support,” said Jacks.
This Ski*Hi program is available to families with children with hearing loss, from birth to five years old. For more information, go to SKI-HI Institute Home Page .