Caroline, my second daughter, was born with permanent hearing loss. She has worn hearing aids since she was eight weeks old.
My husband and I were told that Caroline would never play a musical instrument, never hear an alarm clock go off and never hear a fire alarm sound in case of an emergency. We were also told she would never be able to talk on the phone or hear the doorbell ring.
At eight weeks old, all I was being told was what Caroline would not be able to do. Then we came across Mary Boucher Jones, our speech therapist.
The decision to seek out Auditory Verbal Therapy, a type of therapy focusing on early intervention with children, changed our perspective on Caroline’s future. Auditory Verbal Therapy teaches hearing impaired children to use their residual hearing, no matter how small of an amount it might be.
This therapy guides parents on how to teach their child not only how to speak normally but to hear, as well. American Sign Language is not taught nor is lip reading. Instead, this precise and intensive therapy focuses on teaching a child born with little or no residual hearing to listen, learn and communicate, and yes, even hear.
This approach is not the norm for children born deaf in Indiana. It is, however, gaining popularity worldwide.
In Indiana, there is now a mandatory hearing screening for newborns. Often, parents do not even know the screening is taking place in the hospital nursery. We found out immediately that Caroline was hearing impaired through this test, as she failed her screening six times.
With no history or risk factors, we were shocked to learn of her permanent hearing loss. I knew I had to snap into some kind of radical action when my oldest daughter, then 3 years old, went to the kitchen drawer and took out two spoons. She walked over to her new baby sister and banged them together to see if Caroline would react. When Caroline failed to react, I heard Mary Boucher Jones’ motto echoing in my head: “Stop testing and start teaching.”
Mary is one of only two certified Auditory Verbal therapists in the state of Indiana. She has been teaching children this method of therapy for nearly 25 years. She firmly believes that with the advancement of technology, it is possible for nearly every hearing impaired person to hear and speak, if they so choose.
Caroline is now 4 ½ years old and got a new pair of digital hearing aids last October. She plays soccer and loves it more than anything. She loves watching American Idol and will be happy to sing along for anyone who will listen. She takes ballet and gymnastics classes in Fishers. She most recently started answering our home phone when it rings and is always happy to inform me that someone is ringing our front doorbell.
A miracle you might ask? No. Unless a miracle means a lot of hard work, a lot of patience, persistence and NOT accepting the status quo. In our house, “can’t” is not an option and “never” does not apply. Potential is limitless and sets us apart from those not willing to go the extra mile. The extra mile is just part of the journey for us.
The month of May is Better Speech and Hearing Month nationwide. Many facilities will offer free screening throughout the month. For more information, visit American Speech and Hearing Association – ASHA.org or HearIndiana.org. For more information on Auditory Verbal Therapy, visit AGBell.org.
