The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss in t e r 2 0 1 8 M a g ica l W

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Contents 4 Things We Love

Hi from Mel!

6 O vercoming Obstacles 10 Fun & Games 12 Sophie’s

Spotlight

Contributors Melanie Paticoff Grossman • Editor in Chief Magazine Design • N-KCreative.com Overcoming Obstacles • Faith Mark it with an E • Evelyn Books We Love • Eva With special thanks to all of our featured H W friends

Dear Readers,

rkle, cheerful music liday lights make the sky spa Ho e. tim al gic ma a h suc st of all, Winter can be to appear out of thin air! Be ms see all wf sno t firs the d coming rings everywhere you go, an dream up new goals for the d an et res hit to ce an ch the New Year gives you the 19 a M AG IC A L one? year. How will you make 20 she does. From , finds magic in everything les ac st Ob ng mi co er Ov in r to write Faith, featured urt, to putting pen to pape co nis ten the on g yin pla to character performing at her church, th even channels a magical Fai es. do she g hin ryt eve she looks just a poem, she gives 110% to her blonde hair in a braid h wit se cau be , en oz Le t It Go. we all love, Elsa from Fr rms an acoustic version of rfo pe d an me stu co a’s Els voice of Elsa! like her! She dresses in her idol, Idina Menzel, the h wit fie sel a e tak to t go One time she even the latest ies Upside Down Magic for ser the s iew rev Eva ? gic ma who all get Do you like to read about et a family of five siblings… me we , t sp g lin Sib In and in her latest books We L ve. king magic in the kitchen, ma ays alw is lyn Eve ! gic G! along—now that’s ma donuts. ENCHANTIN , she bakes up some wintry ake some magic!

m 2019, it’s time to

, M.S.D.E. Mel Paticoff Grossman Editor in Chief

and maltipoo, Sophie

www.HearingOurWay.com info@hearingourway.com PO Box 13, Greenlawn, New York 11740 Volume 5, No. 4 ©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.

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

Sophie

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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

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!

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CapTel 2400i includes Bluetooth® connectivity and Speaker phone.

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Musical we L ve Just can’t let your love of Frozen go? Then head to New York City to see Disney’s Frozen, the Broadway musical. From the story we all know and love, to brand new music, to incredible set design, to lots of sisterly love, you’ll melt for this spin on the hit movie. Best of all, the same message we love from Frozen rings true in the new show: never hide your magic. What makes you different makes you amazing! When you arrive at the theatre, ask about the I-Caption digital devices, individual receivers that display audio description (captioning).

ati n t S n ti INSPIra I want people sia (CCD), but

ranial Dyspla ing you “I have Cleidoc is not someth ity il ab is d a g havin ing. I actually to know that raid of show af or of ed l am er. I was smal should be ash me in my care d pe el h D It CC s in theater. think having d me land role pe el h h ic h w e stand out.” for my age, that makes m g in th e v ti posi has become a ings, has r of Stranger Th a st , O ZZ A R A ment of —GATEN MAT ts the develop ec ff a at th r a disorde ake people teeth. It can m the bones and tually are. r than they ac ge un yo r ea p ap Dustin ed the role of nd la en at G n Whe ers ings, the produc on Stranger Th to his the disorder in te ro w lly a tu ac ised le. This has ra character’s ro ndition, ut the rare co awareness abo start a s been able to and Gaten ha advance CCD Smiles to charity called ance financial assist de vi ro p nd a h researc e procedures nnot afford th to kids who ca e smiles! them awesom needed to give

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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.

Upside Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski, Lauren Myracle, and Emily Jenkins is an enchanted, fantastic, and exciting series about a girl named Nory who has magic powers that don’t always work out. She goes to a special school to help her learn ‘upside down magic.’ I read the first two books in the series and couldn’t put them down—I was on the edge of my seat and couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. I loved that in the first book, Nory learns that with her friends by her side, she can conquer her upside down magic and be happy with her special skills.

lings ib s e iv f t e e M ver let

Sibling sp t

ota who ne n! from Minnes the way of fu in t e g s s lo hearing Hali, do not have hearing Older siblings, Hannah, Moriah, Isaac, and r, Jesse, who has a mild loss, but love to support their little brothe system in his right ear hearing loss and uses an Oticon Star FM to help him hear. I say to Jesse, but Hannah: Sometimes I have to repeat things . We love playing cards, hearing loss doesn’t affect our relationship basketball, and watersports together. kid. We play kickball, tag, Moriah: Jesse is such a fun and very active catch, and hide and seek together. e fun no matter what Isaac: My siblings and I are very close. We hav playing sports. I help Jesse we are doing, from cleaning the house to e. I feel that his hearing loss when he doesn’t hear things the first tim brings us all together a little more. of things together. Hali: I’m closest in age to Jesse, so we do a lot loss a few years ago, Even though he was diagnosed with hearing ter what! he is still the same person I know, no mat Sometimes better than Jesse: I get along well with my older siblings. from all of the activities we other times! Hearing loss never stops me actually helps me because do together. In fact, I think in wrestling, it and focus on the game. I can zone out on noise from the crowds h other in life. We love One Last Word: We all want the best for eac always share that. We want being on the farm together and hope to y close. to grow up, have good lives, and always sta whole part of the is ss lo g in Hear with your story e r a Sh . y il fam m gourway.co info @ hearin

W rds, W rds, W rds Work Your Magic

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 work your magic and think it’s time to pull out your magic wand… nope! Work your magic is an idiom that means a person needs to use his/her unique charm or talents to get what he/she wants. Like this: “I never thought my mom would say yes, but I worked my magic and now we get to go to the concert!”

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ng vercomi

bstacles

f Stories o Inspiring You ! e ik L s Teen d n a s id K

H W does Faith hear? With her Elsa-style braid, a microphone in hand, and two hearing aids!

Overcoming Obstacles

The part of having hearing loss that impacts me the most is missing out on conversation. When the conversation is moving quickly, it can be really frustrating to miss out on what people are saying. By the time I am able to have them repeat themselves, many times the conversation has moved on to the next topic. I also find that I am very tired after a long day of lip reading and working hard to hear. Some days are better than others, but I try not to let that get in my way of living life to the fullest and enjoying every day.

FAITH’s Faves H INSTRUMENTS Bassoon Saxophone Harp Piano Guitar Ukelele Percussion Voice

H TV SHOWS Friends Grey’s Anatomy

H CONCERT Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth

H MUSICALS Hamilton Wicked Phantom of the Opera

H FOODS Sushi Steak Salad

H FAVORITE PLACES New York City Houston

H FAVORITE ANIMAL Sloth

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Hearing Gear Faith dressed up as Elsa with one of her many fans!

All About Me

Hi, I’m Faith, a 10th grader from Midland, Texas. I am a self-proclaimed type-A, ambitious 16-year-old who loves being involved in my local community. I am part of my church’s youth group, choir, and youth band. In school, I am on the tennis team, in honor band, and class secretary. My favorite things to do are write and make music.

Hearing My Way

I received my hearing loss diagnosis when I was 13-years-old. For two years before my diagnosis, I suffered from constant ear infections, sinus infections, and colds. I knew that I had temporary hearing loss due to the fluid in my ears. Once I was feeling better, I did not realize I was having any more trouble hearing. It wasn’t until I failed the school hearing test that I was referred to an audiologist. I’ll never forget when the audiologist brought my mom and I into her office and explained, “You have hearing loss, and you need hearing aids.” At first, I was devastated. I thought that hearing aids were only for old people! Then, I got my hearing aids. I was jubilant*! Being able to hear was one of the greatest moments in my life, and I am so thankful for how supportive my friends, family, and teachers were.

My hearing aids are Bluetooth, which means I can listen to music streamed directly to my hearing aids without anyone knowing. Don’t worry, I don’t use that feature in class! I do use my clip-on microphone in class— my teachers clip it to their shirts, and it helps me tremendously. My friends even pass the mic around as they talk. I don’t know what I would do without it!

#SquadGoals

My brother and sister are very educated about my hearing loss. They make it easier for me when I’m at home, which strengthens our relationship. My brother thinks that my hearing aids are so cool and wants to learn all about them because they help me so much.

Self-Advocacy Star

When I first got my hearing aids, I was embarrassed of them. I hated unwanted attention and didn’t ask people to speak up or talk slowly. Being 13 with hearing aids felt like the worst thing imaginable! Then I realized I had nothing to be ashamed of. I can’t help that I have hearing loss, but I can help how I choose to react. Now that I’m 16, I am a huge advocate for myself. I am never afraid to speak up and kindly let people know what I need. I have a 504 plan which *jubilant: expressing

great joy and happiness

states that I should have preferential seating in the front of the classroom, that I can use my phone to adjust the volume on my hearing aids, and that I am provided with written instructions when needed.

Hamilton, one of my favorite musicals of all time! I find it astonishing that the musical director of one of the greatest shows of all time has hearing aids just like me. I would love to meet him one day.

Music Maker

Bright Future

Since I started wearing hearing aids, I’ve learned to play six new instruments! Hearing loss does affect my music in some ways. For instance, I am unable to tune my instruments by ear because I cannot recognize if a pitch is flat or sharp. The place where I sing most is in the shower, and since I cannot wear my hearing aids in the shower, I rely on muscle memory and vibrations to sing. Even if my hearing loss progresses, I know I will never stop singing because music is in my heart!

Role Model

Alex Lacamoire (who was previously featured in Hearing Our Way) is the musical director of

Before I graduate high school, my goals are to become valedictorian of my class, make the Texas All-State Band, make the varsity tennis team, and become a National Merit Scholar. After I graduate, I plan to earn a degree in biology with a minor in music, so that I can perform in symphonies and orchestras as a hobby while going to medical school. I ultimately want to have a career as a neonatologist, which is a doctor for newborn infants. I hope one day to have my own family, including cats and dogs, and to always continue writing and making music. I have big dreams, and I would never let my hearing loss limit me from any of them!

Hearing loss does not prevent Faith from playing on the school tennis team.

Be on our next cover! info@hearingourway.com

A seamless connection to life—all they have to do is listen. Give your child access to the latest in hearing technology with the Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor – the industry’s first and only Made for iPhone cochlear implant sound processor.1

For more information, please call 800-354-1731 or visit online at www.Cochlear.com/US 1.

The Nucleus 7 Sound Processor is compatible with iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPad Pro (12.9-inch), iPad Pro (9.7-inch), iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2, iPad mini, iPad (4th generation) and iPod touch (6th generation) using iOS 10.0 or later. The Nucleus Smart App is compatible with iPhone 5 (or later) and iPod 6th generation devices (or later) running iOS 10.0 or later. Apple, the Apple logo, FaceTime, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Information accurate as of April 2018.

©Cochlear Limited 2018. All rights reserved. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of Cochlear Limited. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

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CAM-MK-PR-376 ISS1 APR18

© 2018 Sonova USA Inc. All rights reserved.

Unlock A Child’s Full Potential Phonak Sky™ B opens up a world of possibilities With exclusive audibility features encased in a robust housing, Sky B hearing aids are specifically designed to support a child’s access to more words in more environments. Benefits include: • Understand better in noise • Easy-to-use • No manual adjustments needed • Safe and strong

Visit phonak-us.com/kids to learn more.

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•••

PACS PALS • • • Meet ! Amanda

Hearing My Way

I Donut Want Winter to End • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans • 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder • ¼ teaspoon baking soda • teaspoon nutmeg • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt • ½ cup granulated sugar • ¼ cup light brown sugar • 2 eggs, room temperature • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

GLAZE: • 1 cup icing sugar • 2 Tablespoons milk • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • Blue gel food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush donut pan with butter. 2. I n a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside. 3. I n the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer to medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with milk, and beat until combined. 4. T ransfer batter to a piping bag or ziploc with a hole in the corner. Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bang pan several times on counter to release air bubbles. 5. B  ake until tops of donuts spring back when lightly pressed, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 6. T o make the glaze, whisk the milk, icing sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Add a few drops of blue food coloring and swirl around using a knife. Don’t overmix—it should look like marble. 7. O  nce cool, take the donuts and dip the tops into the glaze. Let excess drip off a bit, then set aside. Add sprinkles if desired. Enjoy!

My mild/moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was discovered during my first routine hearing check in school. Little did I know that being called down to the nurse’s office in kindergarten would lead me to a future career in audiology! I want to work with kids to make sure they have the hearing technology and accommodations they need to succeed in the classroom.

Overcoming Obstacles

Growing up, I was always very athletic and played on a competitive softball team for over 10 years. Wearing a batting helmet with my hearing aids proved to be a challenge over the years. The helmets fit tightly over my ears, causing a lot of feedback from my hearing aids. I brought my helmet to my audiologist who helped me find a solution by changing the way I put the helmet on over my hearing aids so that it wouldn’t slide over the microphones.

Ear Gear

I currently wear the Oticon Opn 1 hearing aids. I absolutely love them and am patiently waiting for Oticon to introduce colors for this line so I can make them look more fun and stand out!

Magical Winter

I grew up around Chicago, and I love spending time downtown when all of the Christmas lights are up. My favorite winter activity is ice skating in Millenium Park.

Learn more about Amanda’s graduate program in deaf education and audiology:

pacs.wustl.edu

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fun e&s gam

Thank you to Tied to Home for being our 2018 featured sponsor. The Fun & Games Sponsorship is now open for 2019. Get in touch! info@hearingourway.com

Your Logo Here

give you t ’ n a c on? Why ballo a a l Els e wil e sh s u a Bec go let it

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Cut out these animal squares and use them to fill in the sudoku puzzle blank spaces. There should be only one of each picture in each row, column, and box of four.

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gour way.com info@hearin the next issue . to be featured in

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An exciting 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

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We are creative consultants specializing in innovative solutions in the field of hearing loss and deaf education.  ands-on workshops and book readings for H schools, audiology practices, and conferences College, internship, and job application process, including essay and resume crafting Branding, marketing, web, and social media consulting for schools, audiology practices, and organizations

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Sophie loves shining a spotlight on amazing kids with hearing loss around the world. To shine a spotlight on someone you know, write to us at info@hearingourway.com!

Owen, 7, lives in Minnesota in a gray house in the country with his mom, dad, older brothers Holden and Chase, two dogs, one cat, and a beta fish. Owen is an avid sports fan whose favorite teams are the Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, and Luverne Cardinals.

When Owen was born, he had normal hearing, but when he was just a baby, he had a high fever and rode on a helicopter to the hospital. After the fever, he couldn’t hear anymore. He went to the Mayo Clinic and got two cochlear implants. Sometimes kids ask Owen, “What are those things on your ear?” He tells them how cochlear implants help him hear, and that there are magnets inside his head and parts he wears on his ears.

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Puzzle answer

Owen works with his teacher of the deaf, Rosemari Kroll, to improve his listening, language, and self-advocacy skills. Keep up the great work, Owen!