Signs your child might have a hearing loss.
Hearing loss in children comes as a shock for many families, however, as discussed here there are options available to support most types of hearing loss. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing discuss this with your family doctor or health care professional so that you can ensure your child is set up to reach their spoken language milestones.
Why are motor skills important for my baby's language development?
Developing language is child’s play!
14 tips for parents to help their children develop language
How to sabotage your child's speech therapy!
Ideas for speech therapy activities – praise your child
Ideas for speech therapy activities – modelling language
Helping children with hearing loss stand up to bullies
Today, as we acknowledge World Hearing Day, Spokle co-founder, Andrew Kendrick, has recorded a video to help parents empower their children to stand up to bullies.
Children with hearing loss are twice as likely to be bullied as research shows. A 2018 study from the University of Texas at Dallas showed 50% of adolescents with hearing loss reported being bullied in the previous year.
Bullying can include name calling, teasing or ridiculing, social exclusion, spreading rumours and turning other children against the targeted child. Bullying can also turn physical such as hitting or kicking. In the case of children with hearing loss or communication disorders, bullies may use a feature of the child’s disability to bully them, such as creeping up behind them to scare them or imitating their speech or sign-language in a teasing way. Obviously, these actions can be highly distressing for the affected child and their parent as well.
Some of the signs a child might be being bullied include:
· A sudden refusal to attend school (or the place where the bullying is happening).
· A change in their school performance – are they suddenly struggling more in class?
· Reduced participation in after school events or social events
· Appearing sad, depressed or angry, losing their temper quickly
· Decreased interest in friendships
· Refusing to wear their hearing aid or cochlear implant.
Listen to Andrew's message to all parents of children with hearing loss for strategies on how to build their child’s resilience, become advocates for their children, and address issues associated with cyber bullying. With the right skills and empowerment, children with hearing loss can become resilient, stand up to bullying and thrive.
