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Torres News - Shayli meets fellow deaf children
Teisha Robinson thinks that the whole of Thursday Island probably knows about the recent conference she and husband Sean attended in Sydney.
For the first time, their little girl Shayli was able to meet other children just like her – children who are deaf and wear hearing aids.
The Robinsons were in Sydney to attend the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children’s first conference for rural and regional families enrolled in its Remote Early Learning Program.
It was also the first time that Shayli had met her RIDBC teacher, Melissa McCarthy, face-to-face – she has only ever seen her before on a videoconference screen.
“It was a great conference,” said Teisha. “I haven’t stopped talking about it since. It was good to see other parents; to hear their stories and the way that they deal with things. And for Shayli to see other kids with hearing aids was remarkable.”
Shayli was diagnosed with a moderate to severe hearing loss in both her ears when she was three years old, following severe ear infections.
Teisha knew something was wrong with her daughter’s hearing, and pursued medical opinions until Shayli was flown to Cairns for a hearing test.
When Shayli’s deafness was finally confirmed, and she had been fitted with hearing aids, Teisha and Sean researched the internet. They discovered the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children had just launched a service in Queensland for rural and remote families.
They started the program with Melissa, who sends a big blue bag every month full of language activities and listening games, organises video-conferences every fortnight at the TAFE college, and keeps in constant contact through email and phone.
“If I have any questions, I just need to contact Melissa and she can find the answer,” said Teisha.
Melissa also keeps in contact with Shayli’s Thursday Island service providers. Shayli currently attends pre-prep, and starts school next year.
At three, Shayli had already developed some language, but with her deafness she had forgotten many words. Much of Melissa’s work has concentrated on bringing that language back and developing it even further to make up for the time Shayli has lost.
“I think the biggest improvement – although there’s been so much – has been her interaction with other people apart from her family,” said Teisha. “She is a much more confident little girl.
“The remote program has been brilliant – it’s one of the best resources I’ve had since Shayli became deaf.”
More information about the Remote Early Learning Program can be found at Royal Institute For Deaf and Blind Children | RIDBC or by phoning 1300 131 923. The program is an “Early Childhood – Invest to Grow” initiative, funded by the Australian Government under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.
Teisha Robinson thinks that the whole of Thursday Island probably knows about the recent conference she and husband Sean attended in Sydney.
For the first time, their little girl Shayli was able to meet other children just like her – children who are deaf and wear hearing aids.
The Robinsons were in Sydney to attend the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children’s first conference for rural and regional families enrolled in its Remote Early Learning Program.
It was also the first time that Shayli had met her RIDBC teacher, Melissa McCarthy, face-to-face – she has only ever seen her before on a videoconference screen.
“It was a great conference,” said Teisha. “I haven’t stopped talking about it since. It was good to see other parents; to hear their stories and the way that they deal with things. And for Shayli to see other kids with hearing aids was remarkable.”
Shayli was diagnosed with a moderate to severe hearing loss in both her ears when she was three years old, following severe ear infections.
Teisha knew something was wrong with her daughter’s hearing, and pursued medical opinions until Shayli was flown to Cairns for a hearing test.
When Shayli’s deafness was finally confirmed, and she had been fitted with hearing aids, Teisha and Sean researched the internet. They discovered the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children had just launched a service in Queensland for rural and remote families.
They started the program with Melissa, who sends a big blue bag every month full of language activities and listening games, organises video-conferences every fortnight at the TAFE college, and keeps in constant contact through email and phone.
“If I have any questions, I just need to contact Melissa and she can find the answer,” said Teisha.
Melissa also keeps in contact with Shayli’s Thursday Island service providers. Shayli currently attends pre-prep, and starts school next year.
At three, Shayli had already developed some language, but with her deafness she had forgotten many words. Much of Melissa’s work has concentrated on bringing that language back and developing it even further to make up for the time Shayli has lost.
“I think the biggest improvement – although there’s been so much – has been her interaction with other people apart from her family,” said Teisha. “She is a much more confident little girl.
“The remote program has been brilliant – it’s one of the best resources I’ve had since Shayli became deaf.”
More information about the Remote Early Learning Program can be found at Royal Institute For Deaf and Blind Children | RIDBC or by phoning 1300 131 923. The program is an “Early Childhood – Invest to Grow” initiative, funded by the Australian Government under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy.