Anyone Deaf or hearing impaired?

[AllisD]

Hi

Just wondering if anyone is deaf or heairng impaired and how you cope with being a mum?

Cheers

Allis

[AllisD]

Bump

[FabFiona]

I am hearing but my parents are both deaf and as such grew up in the Deaf community. A lot of my friends are deaf, but their parents were also deaf so I'm not sure if that makes it easier?

[Mother Goose]

I am hearing impaired. I have a 60% hearing loss to one ear after an accident as a child. I've been dealing with it since I was 6 so don't even notice it. I can lip read. And both XDH and my DD are VERY loud which makes it pretty easy for me to hear them I struggle when there is background noise, when I'm in the car I struggle to hear DD. But otherwise if I am struggling I just lip read.

[AllisD]

Thanks guys, due to a recently diagnosed medical condition, I am losing my hearing definately on one side and probably in both. I am pretty terrified by this. The hearing loss is irreversable and after a while a hearing aid will be useless also.

I already have difficulty with background noise and I get very embarrassed having to tell people that I simply cannot understand a single thing they are saying to me.

I also worry about silly things like not hearing smoke detectors, telephones, door bells - .

I know that I will have to learn to lip read and I am trying - hopefully the rate of loss will slow down and I will have time....

Thanks again

Allis

[{sarah}]

A friend of mine has both parents completely deaf & I also worked for a man who had 6 deaf children (who were all adults).

Their houses were just set up to deal with it. The phone had a flashing light & a computer attached so the talking was adjusted to words on a screen & they could type the answers. If you need to make a phone call (I received many when I worked for this family), the person on the other end would hear an automated voice saying "you have a phone call from xxx please speak slowly & clearly as your words are being translated for a hearing impaired person." It's a bit strange talking to a computer voice, but it works.

Door bells can be set up with lights attached so you see the light flashing instead of hearing the sound.

I'm not sure what happens with smoke detectors, maybe contact your local fire station & see if they have something that would work. I'm sure they wouldn't mind & would be happy to help someone that is trying to protect their house & family.

I can imagine it's very scary for you to lose your hearing, I hope it slows down for you.