The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss AM I S CR E M MER FOR SU 2 018
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Contents 4 Things We Love
Hi from Mel!
6 O vercoming Obstacles
10 Fun & Games 11 Mark it
with an E
Contributors Melanie Paticoff Grossman • Editor in Chief Magazine Design • N-KCreative.com Overcoming Obstacles • Braden Mark it with an E • Evelyn Books We Love • Eva With special thanks to all of our featured H W friends
Dear Readers,
er e! Classic ice cream s treats and sweets we lov iou lic de the of all are so d r-round is coming, an s under the sun… or the yea cle psi po g hin res ref h… hig cones three scoops t you just want them all? hit, frosted donuts… Do-nu AZING! I first heard our summer cover kid is AM it, t ou ab ion est qu no ’s ry about There October. When I saw his sto t las en Ell on s wa he en of Braden, 11, wh s, I knew he had to be couldn’t afford hearing aid o wh le op pe for y ne mo g pped—he raisin on Ellen, Braden hasn’t sto ing be ce Sin . les ac st Ob a sought-after featured in Overcomi ng be exact!) and is becoming to 00 5,0 $7 er (ov y ne mo FundMe page to has continued to raise n as I am, check out his Go de Bra by ed pir ins as e u’r young speaker. If yo id-awareness). dme.com/bradens-hearing-a follow his story (www.gofun poetry, so we your stories, artwork, and in g din sen by Us to e dsay sent We love when you Writ ve pieces for this issue. Lin ati cre at gre e som e eiv rec were really excited to an sent in her up with hearing loss. Deeg g win gro t ou ab d, Lou t 's Ou us her poem, Live mes. And in sophie Ga & n Fu in ed tur fea e, herd, Jak 18! sketch of her German Shep a playwright at the age of e cam be she w ho of ry sto her spotlight, Emma shared family or friends, off to camp, traveling with e u’r yo er eth Wh n. gu be t Summer fun has jus r is a sweet one! r job, we hope your summe or working your first summe
all scream I scream, you scream, we
www.HearingOurWay.com info@hearingourway.com PO Box 13, Greenlawn, New York 11740 Volume 5, No. 2 ©2018 Sophie’s Tales, LLC. All rights reserved. Hearing Our Way is published quarterly and is a publication of Sophie’s Tales, LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. See p.11 for more information about subscriptions for homes, schools, and offices or visit www.HearingOurWay.com. For promotional opportunities, change of address, or other customer service, contact info@hearingourway.com. • All comments and suggestions received by Hearing Our Way become the sole property of Hearing Our Way and may be used without compensation or acknowledgment. Hearing Our Way disclaims liability for any losses or damages that may result from using information in this magazine. • Inquire today about sponsorship and advertising opportunities. Contact Info@HearingOurWay.com.
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for summer! The hot weath
, M.S.D.E. Mel Paticoff Grossman Editor in Chief
and maltipoo, Sophie
Look for these symbols throughout the magazine for special tips !
Hearing – Info about hearing aids, cochlear implants, and listening devices Talking – Tips for speech and language Self-Advocacy – Ideas for sharing your hearing loss story with others
Did you receive this issue from a friend, school, or office? Sign up for your own subscription to continue receiving Hearing Our Way ! www.hearingourway.com
Sophie
Connecting Made Easy Enjoy talking on the phone – confident that you’ll catch every word! CapTel® shows you captions of everything they say. It’s like captions on TV – for the phone!
APPS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE
CapTel 2400i includes Bluetooth® connectivity and Speaker phone.
The Ultimate Phone for People with Hearing Loss Captioned Telephone
www.CapTel.com 1-800-233-9130
CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec. Bluetooth® is a trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.
books We L ve: Eva’s Bookshelf
Eva is a 10-year-old girl from New Jersey who has always loved reading! She has hearing loss in her left ear, but with the help of her Roger Focus® receiver and wireless system, she never lets hearing loss hold her back! Ready to discover your next favorite book? Eva invites you to explore her bookshelf. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a thrilling book about a girl
u Heard?
A message from Hearing Health Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to prevent, treat, and cure hearing loss and to promote hearing health.
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is not hearing loss that you are born with. It is hearing loss that is caused by loud noise that damages hair cells in your inner ear. If you have unilateral, mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss, it is important to take care of the residual hearing that you have. Use these tips to preserve your hearing and help your family and friends prevent noise-induced hearing loss, too! Have you heard that some people are more likely to be exposed to harmful noise than others? Kids and teens are exposed to loud sounds and music at concerts and when listening to music too loud on their devices. Have you heard that noise-induced hearing loss is preventable? Many people listen to their music at maximum volume (105 dB), which is louder than noisy traffic, subway platforms, and table saws. Turn down the volume of your music, especially if using earbuds. Block your ears at concerts and loud events by wearing ear plugs or protective headphones.
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Movie We L
A Wrinkle in Time recently becave:
me a hit movie starring Storm Re id. I thought the movie was a ma gical experience that brought Ma delei L’Engle’s words to life! It come ne s out on Blu-ray, DVD, and dig ital this summer.
n Stati agenand everyone— i t a Ir P S IN my know spires girls
and [the film] in themselves in e v ie “ I hope that el b to ible, ny gender]— ing’s imposs [any race, a th o N . g in th n do any .’ that they ca ‘I’m possible ord it says w t a th t, in a h because no matter w s know that y a lw a st ju let anySo it, and don’t o d s y a lw a you can ent !” ll you differ te r e ev y d bo id star of —Storm Re Time, A Wrinkle in @stormreid
hut ters tock. com
Have y
named Meg Murry whose father has gone missing. She goes on an adventure with her friend Calvin and her younger brother Charles Wallace to find her father. Charles is my favorite character because he is so young and naive—his ability to trust helps with the quest. At first Meg feels dependent on her brother and friend, but when Charles makes a wrong turn, it is up to Meg to make the right choice and save him. I recommend this book because it is a journey of self-realization for Meg, who discovers how her faults can become her strengths.
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ie on , and P t t a P , y le ley, Pres Meet Pais ever let
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Paisley and Presley, 8, are twin girls, and little brothers Patton, 3, and Pierson, 2, are 18 months apart! Paisley and Patton r both have hearing loss and wear cochlea implants. Paisley: I’m the older twin! I was born with e a mild to moderate hearing loss and wor hearing aids until I was 3. That’s when my r hearing loss progressed, and I got cochlea I implants. Now I am doing great in school. even made the swim team, where I use my g a twin, but I also love that waterproof implant accessories! I love bein nt than my sister. having cochlear implants makes me differe my brothers are cute and Presley: Paisley always makes me laugh, and cochlear implants makes me feel funny. Having a sister and brother with we can sing and dance together. happy because they can hear music, and ee-months-old and started Patton: I got my hearing aids when I was thr er, my hearing dropped around auditory verbal therapy. Just like my sist my cochlear implant. I love all of my third birthday, and that’s when I got h Paisley. When I got my cochlear my siblings, but I have a special bond wit implant I told her, “I got implant like you !” siblings. I’ve become a great Pierson: I love going to AVT sessions with my t to do everything that talker watching them learn language! I wan ing the Ling 6 sounds ! my big brother Patton does, even repeat and dad chose One Last Word: We’re happy that our mom ton wouldn’t be able to hear cochlear implants because Paisley and Pat us down- it’s a part of our without them. Hearing loss doesn’t slow family that makes us special!
are ole family. Sh h w e th f o is part ay.com Hearing loss ith info @ hearingourw w your story
W rds, W rds, W rds Sweet Tooth
Language can be tricky, especially idioms, which are groups of words or expressions that mean something different than what they say. You might hear the idiom sweet tooth and think that one of your teeth tastes sweeter than the others… nope! Sweet tooth is an idiom that means a person loves desserts, like candy, chocolate, cookies, and ice cream! Like this: “You barely ate your dinner, but you must have a sweet tooth — your dessert is all gone!”
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ng vercomi
bstacles
f Stories o Inspiring You ! e ik L s Teen d n a s id K
Braden’s Faves H TV The Ellen DeGeneres Show Stranger Things America’s Got Talent
H MUSIC Chase Goehring
H VIDEO GAME Fortnite
H BOOK Nightmares!
H FOOD Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
H SPORTS Wake surfing Disc golf
FOLLOW ME
densgofundme.com/brane ss are aw id-a ng ari he aker @therandomdude_b
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H W does Braden hear? With a Rubiks cube in hand, his signature hat, and two hearing aids!
All About Me
Hi, I’m Braden from Fort Worth, Texas! I am 11-years-old and just finished 5th grade at Fort Worth Country Day School. I am creative and have LOTS of different hobbies including doing Rubiks cubes, drawing, plus watching AND making YouTube videos, but what I’m proudest of is raising money for people that can’t afford hearing aids.
Hearing My Way
I was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss at my newborn hearing screening and was fit with hearing aids when I was just 3 months old. I attend a mainstream elementary school where I use an FM system to help me in the classroom. When I can hear my teachers clearly, it really helps me focus and pay attention better. I always wished I could wear cool headphones like my friends, but now listening to music through the Bluetooth feature on my new Oticon OPN hearing aids is AWESOME !
GoFundMe
One day, my dog Chewy got ahold of my second pair of hearing aids… and ate them! My parents sat me down for a talk about being more responsible—I didn’t realize how expensive hearing aids are! They explained that we were lucky to be able to afford another pair, but it made me realize there are people who are not able to afford them. I thought of one of my inspirations, Ellen DeGeneres, who is always giving back to people on her show, and thought, ‘WWED— What would Ellen do?’ Fifteen minutes later, I recorded my first of seven videos to help raise money on GoFundMe. I wear Oticon brand hearing aids and decided that the money raised would go to the Oticon Hearing Foundation that gives out hearing aids to audiologists who do mission trips around
res. meet Ellen DeGene Braden and his mom
the world. My original goal was to raise $1,000. We have now raised over $75,000 with a new goal of $100,000!
Talk of the Town
I never expected that starting this fundraiser would lead me to The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Being on the show was the coolest experience I will probably ever have in my life! Ellen was just as awesome in person as she is on TV. Everyone made me feel so comfortable because I was SOOO nervous. I was so excited to meet my idol Ellen that I didn’t think getting money for my fundraiser was even an option. It was a great surprise, and I’ve been able to help even more people because of that. Since then, I have had more opportunities to speak about my mission. I gave a TedxYouth talk called, “You Are Never Too Young to Make an Impact,” and my main message was to find your purpose and do something with it! Recently I presented in front of 7,000 kids at WE DAY Texas, a conference that celebrates kids who are involved in mission work not only locally, but globally. There, I met Spencer West, a man with no legs who climbed Mt. Everest on his hands! JUST AWESOME!
Mission Trip
Braden presents the money he raised to Oticon Hearing Foundation.
I had the opportunity to visit Oticon headquarters in Somerset, NJ. There, I met Dr. Kamal Elliott, an audiologist from Pennsylvania. She thought it was really important that I see firsthand what the funds I raised would do for people. We planned a trip to Guatemala for my birthday. I saw someone hear for the first time with their new hearing aids, and Dr. Elliott said, “That’s what we call a ‘hearing smile.’” It was the best birthday gift!
You Can, Too
I would encourage other kids that want to raise money to help people to Go For It! Your voices can be heard. Social media has been a huge help for me. I love to make videos, so that was an easy choice. Make sure that whatever you want to raise money for, you truly believe in. My mom always tells me, “As long as it comes from the heart, that’s what’s most important.” Braden seeing a ‘hearing smile’ in Guatemala.
t ld, bu t o s r 11 yea n the bes y l n I’m o ike I’m o l I feel y ever! e journ Family Fun
The support of my family has been essential to my success. My dad is such a hard worker, and my mom supports my brother Christopher, 13, and me so much in being exactly who we are.
Find Your Purpose
I’ve been able to help people all over the world, and I’m constantly inspired by new people I meet all the time. My best advice is to pay attention to the world around you— you never know when you may be called to serve your purpose… it may even be your dog that leads you there.
Be on our next cover! info@hearingourway.com
I want you to hear your friend asking to come play. Kanso® is a new way of hearing with a Cochlear Implant. It’s an off-the-ear sound processor designed to be comfortable and easy to use while providing your child’s best hearing experience. Call 1 866 922 9211, or visit IWantYoutoHear.com for more information. ©Cochlear Limited 2017. All rights reserved. Hear now. And always and other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited. CAM-MK-PR-313 ISS1 MAR17
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Unlock Your World Imagine when a hearing aid fits your needs. It opens up a door of possibilities to be able to hear your family, friends and teachers when you need to. Get the most out of your hearing with the brand-new Phonak Sky™ B-PR, the first and only rechargeable pediatric hearing aid. • Long-lasting — A fully charged battery lasts the whole day* • Quick-charging — Fully charged in just three hours • Hassle-free — No batteries to change • Easy to use — Automatically adjusts to your environment
Check out phonak.com/kids to learn more. Or ask your audiologist for a demonstration. * 16 hours of hearing with 10 hours of Roger™ use or audio streaming © 2018 Sonova USA Inc. All rights reserved. 156AD
Live Out Loud
•••
PACS PALS • • •
A poem by Lindsay Cotterman
Crying the first time you hear the refrigerator buzz because you’ve never heard it before… Receiving bad grades on video quizzes in school because they weren’t captioned… Closing your eyes during yoga and not knowing what the teacher is saying… Hating sleepovers because once the lights go out you can’t hear your friends… Watching others dancing to try to find the rhythm of the song… Saying “what” or “sorry” because you missed what was said… Refusing to wear your hearing aids because you don’t want to be made fun of… Having people think you’re rude or ignoring them when really you didn’t hear them… Pretending you heard something and laughing along because you are afraid to say you didn't hear… Finding people who love you, who will always repeat things for you, who understand you… Making your friends crack up when you hear a completely different sentence than what was said, and laughing along with them… Getting a great night’s sleep through almost anything because you can’t hear without your devices… Having a heightened sense of sight and smell and being more visually observant… Knowing that it will all be okay, even if it feels like it won’t be… Embracing your hearing loss because it is a part of who you are… Never judging a book by its cover because we are all going through something… Finding that you are a stronger person because of the obstacles you have faced… Knowing that at times life with hearing loss can be can be frustrating and difficult, but that you wouldn’t change it for the world…
Lindsay Cotterman is the Head Coach of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Pom Team. Despite having hearing loss, she grew up dancing and cheering all her life.
Meet ! Cathryn My dream career
When I was six, I was diagnosed with a profound sensorineural hearing loss in my right ear—or single-sided deafness. The doctors believe that I was born with hearing loss, but since I have normal hearing in my left ear, I was able to learn to listen and talk. In high school, I received a bone-anchored hearing aid (Baha). It helps me with sound awareness on my right side because it sends the signal to my ‘good ear’. After I received my Baha, I began to think audiology would be a great career path for me. I would be able to relate to my patients and pursue my passion of helping others. I am graduating this month with my doctoral degree from Washington University’s Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences (PACS). Once I graduate, I will be joining the Adult Audiology Department at the Center for Advanced Medicine in St. Louis, MO.
Early Advocate
In school, it was challenging for me to hear in the back of the classroom or when someone was on my right side. From a young age, my parents helped me learn to overcome these obstacles by advocating for myself. I always make sure to tell my teachers about my hearing loss and position myself so that everyone is on my left side (whenever possible). Today, my Baha helps me hear people on my right side, like when I’m driving, but even with my Baha I still use my self-advocacy skills!
My Summer Treat
Any ice cream with chocolate and peanut butter in it is my favorite!
Learn more about Cathryn’s graduate program in deaf education and audiology:
pacs.wustl.edu
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fun e&s gam eam e cr c i s e doe Wher chool? s go to ool e Sch a d n Su
Sponsored by TIED TO HOME • Hey, little campers! Help your new counselors test your ears with these Ling 6 Sound Check products. Shop tiedtohome.design and be sure to use code hearingourway for 10% off your order!
This is a draw ing of my dog, Jake. He inspires me to be creative. In the draw ing, he is wearing a football uniform because we love to play football together. I even taught him the word “hike!” He is my ever ything. — Deegan A., 17 years old, Naida cochlear implant, Grand Rapids Oral Deaf Program, Michigan
go nut o d the t? did y tis h W den e h to t ling a fil t e To g
the y to did t sa a Wh per m? a p s new e crea ic e op? th sco e h t’s t Wha eam e cr c i e h did t k down? Why a r kb e truc the se of u a c Be ad y Ro Rock
write T
us ! riting,
t, w Send in your ar photos to poetry or
gour way.com info@hearin the next issue . to be featured in
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ANSWERS ON PAGE 12
An exciting new PEN PAL PROGRAM presented by Ryan Brady with Hearing Our Way ! Pen pals will receive an introductory letter from Ryan and an assigned pen pal. Sign up is free for Hearing Our Way readers at www.HIPPkids.com
I
C r e e am Cupcak c I r o f m a e r es Sc
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
DIRECTIONS
• Your favorite cake mix • Your favorite royal icing • Your favorite buttercream • Food coloring for ice cream colors • Piping bags or ziploc bags • Piping tips (I used Wilton 1A and Wilton #3) • Parchment Paper • A picture of ice cream (search ice cream decals clipart)
2. The next day, bake your cupcakes as directed.
1. A day in advance of baking, place parchment paper over the ice cream print. Use royal icing to outline the shape of an ice cream cone. Fill in the cone first with a darker color. Let dry for one hour, then fill in the ice cream part with a lighter color. Let harden overnight. 3. When cool, pipe a swirl of buttercream on each cupcake. 4. Using a knife or icing spatula, remove the royal icing ‘decals’ from the parchment paper. Place onto each cupcake. 5. Host a summer get together and enjoy your cupcakes with friends!
Gabe loves reading Hearing Our Way and you will, too! aring loss “Every child wit h he ine !“ az shou ld have this mag is the
aring Our Way An annual subscription to He cher, or audiologist! tea perfect gift for any student, Bulk pricing is available Prices start at $19.99/year. doctors offices! for schools, hospitals, and
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ECT GIFT THE PEdaRyFs, birthdays, , for holi implant surgery cochlears, students, and friend ger siblings! youn
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Sophie loves shining a spotlight on amazing kids with hearing loss around the world. Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech wanted to help share Emma’s story with us. To shine a spotlight on someone you know, write to us at info@hearingourway.com!
Emma, 19, is a rising sophomore at Smith College in Massachusetts. She was diagnosed with moderate to severe bilateral hearing loss at birth, started wearing hearing aids at six-months-old, and attended Clarke Philadelphia at age 3. She was mainstreamed in preschool, but Clarke has been there to support her ever since. They helped explain her hearing aids and FM system to her classmates and teachers and assisted in the IEP process. Now in college, Emma works with her school’s Office of Disability Services to advocate for the accommodations she needs, explain them to her professors, and answer any questions they may have.
Emma fell in love with playwriting when Philadelphia Young Playwrights led a workshop at her school. She was always frustrated by ‘disability stories’ that often featured one-dimensional characters, so she set out to write a play about this on her own terms. She had never written about her hearing loss before, so she found the task daunting* at first. Now, Emma hopes that when audiences see her play, titled What?, they leave with a deeper understanding of the experiences of people with hearing loss. Most importantly, she hopes that they laugh at her play (it is a comedy, after all) and understand that it’s okay to find humor in something like a disability, even though society often tells us otherwise. or intimidating
Puzzle answer: (from top to bottom) strawberry; blackberry; bitten chocolate bar, blue bar
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* daunting: overwhelming