The Power of a Parent Support Network for Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

The Power of a Parent Support Network for Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

When Estelle was diagnosed as severely deaf when she was 18 months old, Estelle's mum, Joanna was devastated. "All I wanted was to speak to another parent of a deaf child who could tell me that Estelle would be okay," she says. "Instead I was given a 'showbag' full of dry medical brochures and sent home to deal with my child's hearing loss. I sat on my bed and cried for days."

Joanna's story isn't an isolated one. More than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing families who have little or no experience of deafness. For many of these parents, their child is often the first deaf person they have ever met. No wonder so many report feeling isolated and confused following the diagnosis.

Parents of deaf children can feel overwhelmed by the choices that have to be made as to how to best support their child. Without being fully informed of all the options, they may begin to feel pressure to adopt one communication approach over another, and as a result, may end up making rash decisions.

The support of parents who have been through these experiences can often be an invaluable source of comfort and inspiration. Family to family support is one of the best ways parents can gather knowledge and skills they need to navigate the world of deafness.

Joanna's desperate need to speak to another parent who had gone through a similar experience motivated her to set up a parent support group which has since become one of the largest parents of deaf children support networks in the country. The group's primary aim is to provide friendship, support and inspiration to parents of deaf and hard of hearing children but it also gives their children a much needed opportunity to spend time together.

Jo says that speaking to others in the same boat was the "tonic I needed."

"It gave me hope and made me see that all the initial dreams I had for my daughter were still very much achieveable, regardless of her hearing loss," she says. "It is wonderful that we can all be there for each other. Important decisions that we have to make for our children - such as what school to send them to, whether or not to sign with them, give them hearing aids or cochlear implants - these decisions seem much easier to make after speaking with other parents and finding out what works and what didn't in their own journeys with hearing loss."

Estelle is now a bright, confident 10 year old. She is very happy at the mainstream school she attends and has plenty of friends. Along with a visting teacher once a week, she also has a teacher's aide and her teachers wear RF units which transmit their voice directly to Estelle's hearing aids. She loves to learn, is a fantastic dancer and has dreams to own her own hairdressing salon one day.

If you are a parent of a newly diagnosed deaf child, then one of the best things you could do for yourself is find a parent support group in your area. These groups are a terrific way of exchanging ideas and obtaining encouragement to face some of the challenges of raising your deaf child. And if you have been on the journey for some time now, then why not offer your own experiences and guidance to someone who is new in the world of hearing loss? You could significantly reduce their stress levels and even change their life...

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