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Readers Respond: Parents' Reactions to Hearing Loss
Responses: 5

By Jamie Berke, About.com

Updated May 01, 2009

User responses are not monitored by About.com's Medical Review Board.

When parents discover their child is deaf or hard of hearing, or their child's hearing loss is confirmed, their reactions can range from outright grief to "Oh? Is that all?" Now that we have newborn hearing screening available, parents are learning about their children's hearing losses much earlier. Are parents' reactions to hearing loss any easier today? What was your own reaction to finding out your child had a hearing loss? Recall Your Reaction

my child was born deaf

at first i didn't know what to think or what to do. i felt like it was all my fault. she's now 5, with an implant. it is still very hard. somedays are harder then others but we will get past it.
—Guest jennifer

Finding out my child is deaf

the first thing i did was blame myself. Trying to figure out what i did wrong what went wrong. I didn't and still won't label him as disabled. He is a normal acting 10 yr old boy with deafness just means harder work. it has taken him a LONG time to learn to communicate. But now doing so much better and still has a ways to go. He is the only child out of my 3 that are deaf and the only out of both my ex's family and my own that has no hearing. We are getting there from support from friends and family!!.
—Guest Donna

Finding out my child is deaf

I am a firm believer that all things happen for a reason. The deaf community is a strong willed group of people. I know my daughter has been given to me deaf for a reason GOD has a plan for her. We are waiting to see what thet plan is,and that is very exciting to us. My advice to people who are just entering the world of deafness. Take the experience as a chance to learn a new culture...a new world. Love it and embrace your childs world. It will make your life so much easier. Deafness isnt all that bad of a "disability" it (the disability) could be much. worse.
—Guest Bravo

Finding out my child is deaf

We were so depressed for about two weeks. We were so greatful to be pointed in the direction of our state school for the deaf. Their family education department made everything very okay! Now my daughter is a beautiful high school senior who just so happens to be deaf in a hearing family. Now I can't imagine how she'd be if she were hearing.
—Guest Amy

Your child is deaf

I felt sick in my soul. It was like our entire world had collapsed. Not only my son have to face the teasing with cleft lip and a slope face now he can not hear. Why have God allowed this to happen to us.
—Guest Bessie

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Parents' Reactions to Hearing Loss

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