Hearing Our Way: Fall 2022

The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss

Dear Readers,

Are you ready to knock this school year out of the park?! Maybe you spent the past couple months at camp, traveling, stay-cationing, hanging with friends, exercising your creativity, or exploring nature. Now it’s time to channel all of that positive summer energy into making this your best school year yet!

Our cover kid Dawson is ready to be a team player this school year. In fact, he loves team sports, especially football and baseball. In Overcoming Obstacles, Dawson shares how on the field, he counts on his coaches and teammates to help him, and at school, his hearing teacher Lindsey is his MVP (Most Valuable Player). Together they use strategies for self-advocacy and embrace assistive listening devices to make Dawson's transition back to school a grand slam!

We know one kid who is arriving on the first day of school with her summer reading assignments completed—Eva, who shares her review of Fish in a Tree. And if you’re looking for stories to inspire you before the new school year, look no further than Kamaria ’ s story on page 9.

They say the best defense is a good offense, so don’t be afraid to step up to the plate!

Get ready to kick-off this school year with a strong game plan filled with self-advocacy skills, assistive technology, and a support system you can count on. With that winning combination, this year is sure to be a Paticoff

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

YouBrave!Are

You can do anything you set your mind to.

InspiratioN Stati n

“Hearing loss can be very isolating and cochlear implants are a way to walk back into the hearing world in a significant way! There is no way I would have the life I have right now if I didn’t have my implants.”

— Dr. Karen Crawford

Dr. Karen Crawford is an emergency medicine physician on the frontlines of COVID-19. Her hearing loss began in 8th grade, and as an adult Dr. Crawford received her first cochlear implant in 2014. But it wasn’t until 2020, when Dr. Crawford was struggling with the added challenges of face coverings during the pandemic, that she knew she needed to consider implanting her left ear as well.

“With everyone wearing masks, I could no longer utilize lip reading to help process speech. Now with my second Cochlear™ implant, I am more balanced and able to hear more clearly. It has been life-changing and made it much easier for me to communicate with my patients and staff.”

books We L ve: Eva’s Bookshelf

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.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt is the story of a girl named Ally who struggles with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes letters and numbers seem mixed up. Ally’s dyslexia makes school very challenging for her. In fact, she begins to feel stupid and stops even trying in school. The truth is Ally is very smart and creative, just like her grandpa who recently passed away. Ally is part of a military family that relocates often, so her dyslexia isn’t diagnosed until luckily a new teacher recognizes what is going on. Finally, Ally is able to find herself and overcome her disability. I recommend this book to kids with hearing loss because it helps us understand that other people also struggle with different disabilities. I liked reading about Ally’s thoughts and feelings throughout the book and found the story very relatable!

Eva is a 14-year-old girl from New Jersey who has always loved reading! She has helpear,losshearinginherleftbutwiththeofherRoger

Dr. Crawford is a healthcare hero whose hearing technology was essential during the pandemic.

DID YOU THE NEWS?

We love sharing exciting hearing loss-related updates about celebrities, products, and stories in the news.

Troy Kotsur, an actor from the award-winning film CODA, became the first deaf man to win an Oscar for best actor. Before him, his co-star Marlee Matlin was the first woman and only deaf person to win an Oscar.

MARCH 2022

has released a new doll with a hot pink behind-the-ear hearing This Barbie is part of a new set of diverse dolls that celebrate the importance of inclusion.

MAY 2022

Tasha Ghouri, a dancer and model with a cochlear implant, became the first ever deaf contestant on Love Island. Tasha calls her cochlear implant her ‘superpower,’ and her vulnerability and confidence quickly made her a fan-favorite on the show.

JULY 2022

Knock it Out of the Park

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 knock it out of the park and think of knocking on a door or hitting a ball away from the field, but no! Knock it out of the park means you did something extremely well, maybe even better than expected. It’s inspired by when a baseball player has such an amazing hit that the ball goes soaring out of the park—a homerun! Like this: “I’m bringing my A game to school this year. I’m going to turn my homework in early, do projects for extra credit, and be the best self-advocate I can be. I really want to knock it out of the park this school year.”

Strauss/Invision/APJordanbyPhoto

H W does Dawson hear?

All About Me

Hi, I’m Dawson! I’m a 4th grader from Deerfield, Illinois. I love playing sports and spending time with my friends.

Hearing My Way

I was born with severe sensorineural hearing loss. I received my first set of hearing aids when I was just 3 months old and have worn bilateral hearing aids ever since. Without my hearing aids, I can’t hear speech or any sounds except really loud ones like my dog barking, fireworks,

Ear Gear

I like to work with my educational audiologist, Dr. Sandi, to troubleshoot difficult listening situations by using different assistive listening devices. At school I use 2 receivers and audio shoes to connect to my Phonak Roger Select, which has 6 different microphones that I can control to change what and who I hear during large and small group activities. Without it, I would have a really hard time hearing in background noise and at a distance from the speaker. My next technology mission is to try out the Phonak Table Mic which may be helpful when I am working with a partner but also need to hear instructions from my teacher. Stay tuned!

Sport Court

I love to play baseball and football. Since my Roger Select stays at school, I’ve had to find other ways to hear my friends and coaches on the field. This includes standing close to my coaches, lip reading, and using a mini mic. Sometimes my dad, who is one of my football coaches, uses signals and hand gestures for me from a distance; it makes me feel like we have our own secret language.

Overcoming Obstacles

There have been some really tough challenges for me in sports. Last year when I played travel baseball, the first weeks of practice were outside and very

With ready, and two

windy, and my coaches and teammates were all wearing masks. It was a really difficult hearing situation. I worked with my parents and coach on a plan to help me. We decided an assistant coach would repeat directions for me if I missed them and that during drills, I wouldn’t go first. Instead, I would have an opportunity to watch one of my teammates ahead of me so I would know what to do. We ended up having a great season thanks to great communication and planning. Having hearing loss can make playing sports more challenging, but if you advocate for yourself and tell people what you need, you can definitely be successful.

Sibling Spot

My little sister Finley is 6. She thinks my hearing aids are really cool. If I don’t hear something the first time, she will repeat it for me. I like to use closed captions when I watch TV shows and movies, and Finley doesn’t mind—in fact, she likes them, too. She also likes to help me pick new colors for my ear molds. Together we love playing with our puppy Remi who is adorable and very mischievous!

Hearing Teacher

Lindsey is my hearing teacher, and she gives me lots of helpful strategies to use at school. I have learned how to identify communication breakdowns, use repair strategies, and advocate for myself. For instance, indoor recess is extremely challenging for me because of all the background noise. Sometimes I try to read a book in a quiet spot. Other times I take out my hearing aids for a quick break from the noise. If I am overwhelmed, I know I can tell the adults around me how I feel and ask for help. Luckily my friends in class are there to help me if I need something repeated or rephrased. Using hearing technology at school is a lot of responsibility. I have to take care of my equipment including my receivers, Roger Select, and mic. I take them off the charger, give them to my teacher, and help get everything set up. I have to remember to bring them

Dawson is ready for the big game.

with me when I move rooms to art and gym. With Lindsey’s help I have learned to be really organized and responsible.

Fun Fact

Did you know my birthday is September 10th, 2011 or 9-10-11? Pretty cool!

# Goals

When I grow up, I want to be a professional athlete or a scientist like a marine biologist. I know being a professional athlete will take dedication and time. Being a biologist would require lots of hard work, especially in math and science. I know I can work hard, concentrate, and use my advocacy skills. Hearing loss won’t stop me from reaching my dreams!

Little sis Finley is Dawson's #1 fan!

TWO PAWS UP FOR RHETT

Karlie Waldrip, 27, is passionate about raising awareness of deaf dogs and inspiring others to consider adopting them. Karlie was diagnosed with hearing loss and received her first hearing aids at 11-months-old. At the age of 9 she received her first cochlear implant and loved it so much that she got a second cochlear implant at the age of 18. In third grade she began learning sign language through her regional day school program for the deaf. Today, Karlie is an itinerant teacher of the deaf and proud mom of pup Rhett, a deaf dog she adopted and now has become her ‘whole world.’ Check out Rhett's story ‘in his own words’ below!

Hi, I’m Rhett! Did you know that you and I have something in common?

No, it’s not four paws or a tail! It’s hearing loss. Dogs and other animals can be born deaf or lose their hearing later in life. I was born in a small town in Texas. My fur-dad and a couple of my fur-siblings were also deaf. We are Australian Cattle dogs, which means we love to work, sometimes on ranches with cattle.

For many months, I lived at an adoption shelter, waiting for a family to take me home. One day, a young girl named Karlie came by to meet me. I was so excited that I jumped up on her for a big ol’ hug and kiss, then plopped down for some belly rubs and scratches. Karlie decided to adopt me. We had an instant bond because Karlie is deaf, too. She has cochlear implants and can listen and talk, and she also knows sign language. The first sign she taught me was ‘thumbs up’ which means ‘good job.’ Since then I’ve learned potty, walk, food, water, sit, down, shake, car, mom, and dad. I am four-years-old and understand about 30 signs, and I am still learning more.

When my mom and I go on walks, people often see my ‘deaf dog’ vest and stop us to ask questions. We love raising awareness about deaf dogs and educating others about our abilities.

I love to play with my family and furry friends, swim, play ball, and go for car rides. I can do anything I set my mind to. My mom helps give me a voice through my Instagram account, @rhett_the_heeler. Follow my journey and stay tuned for my book at www.rhetttheheeler.com.

I WOOF you all Rhett

Remembering Kamaria

Kamaria was a 17-year-old high school senior with bilateral cochlear implants who was looking forward to being featured in Hearing Our Way teacher of the deaf, Natalie Phillips, shared with great sadness that Kamaria passed away on February 17, 2022 after a courageous lifelong battle with Kearns-Sayre Syndrome. It is our honor to share Kamaria’s story.

All About Me

Hi, I’m Kamaria. I live in Arlington, Texas, and I love online shopping, listening and dancing to hip hop music, going out to eat, and spending time with my family and friends. My absolute favorite food is seafood, especially crab legs and catfish. My family and I have a weekly tradition of Seafood Fridays!

Hearing My Way

When I was born, I seemed perfectly fine and healthy. It wasn’t until 2nd grade that my mother and teacher started noticing that I was struggling to hear. The school audiologist tested my hearing and diagnosed bilateral sensorineural moderate to severe hearing loss. I got hearing aids at the age of 7 followed by cochlear implants at the age of 10. At first, the cause of my hearing loss was unknown, but after several tests, the doctors diagnosed me with Kearns-Sayre Syndrome, a type of progressive multi-system disorder of the mitochondria.

Ear Gear

My favorite thing about my cochlear implants is that they are compatible with my phone! I can stream audio so that I can listen to my favorite artist (Beyoncé!), adjust the volume, and even locate my processors if they get misplaced. I like to say that my cochlear implants are a much cooler version of Apple AirPods. My hearing loss is a part of who I am, and I am grateful for the fact that my hearing loss led doctors to my diagnosis early on.

Overcoming Obstacles

You might have heard the phrase, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ My village is what keeps me moving forward. I am grateful for the strength to overcome so many obstacles in my life. As more challenges come my way, I will face them head on and overcome each one with the help of my village.

Fighting for a Cure

My family and I have created a team called Kamaria’s Krew that puts on several events to collect funds and raise awareness for the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. I have a passion for raising awareness and helping find creative ways to fight for a cure.

I Have a Vision

THE FIGHT CONTINUES:

Kamaria’s legacy continues to live on. Her family has chosen to raise funds in Kamaria’s memory.

My dream is to be a history and science high school teacher. Even though I am not technically a teacher yet, I strive to teach others through my life. I try to be a model of strength, endurance, grit, determination, and unconditional love. You can learn so much from other people by watching how they live their life and by listening intently to what they are saying. Above all else, I want to be a teacher that demonstrates that you can do anything. Never give up and above all else, ALWAYS BE KIND.

Crosswords, Mazes, & Jokes, oh my!

No Prob-Llama Cupcakes

WHAT YOU’LL

• Your favorite cupcake

• Your favorite buttercream recipe

• White fondant (you can use a marshmallow fondant recipe)

• Black edible food marker (or black food coloring and a toothpick)

• Piping bag

• Wilton star tip #21

• Wilton circle tip #12

1. Prepare your cupcakes and buttercream.

2. Roll out your fondant so it is thin but doesn’t

3. Use the #12 tip to cut out 3 fondant circles per

6. Fit your piping bag with the star tip #21, and Pipe stars onto cupcakes at time, Oaklyn is miraculous, Oaklyn celebrated 2nd hearing birthday with this beautiful cake. can’t wait to see what’s in store this year! Happy hearing birthday, Oaklyn! hearing birthday celebration! at info@hearingourway.com featured in Hearing Our Way

4. Draw your llama eyes and mouths onto the circles black marker or black food coloring. Use the pictures

5. Use the other side of the piping tip to cut out cupcake. Cut it in half—those will be the ears.

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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. Box Greenlawn,13 NY 11740

Malcolm is a seven-year-old first grader from Alameda, California with a great sense of humor and bilateral cochlear implants. He loves spending time with his mom, dad, and two brothers. He even has a deaf cat, Koko, who is learning some signs! He’s a fun-loving kid with many different interests including jumping on the trampoline, swimming, playing ukulele, and stilt-walking!

Malcolm says his cochlear implants are “awesome because they transfer sound to my auditory nerve and it’s SO COOL!” He enjoys reading Hearing Our Way with his mom and finding other kids ‘just like him.’ It has helped him learn phrases like SELF-ADVOCACY and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. It has also inspired him to spread awareness about hearing loss and cochlear implants. Malcolm recently met a kid who had never seen a hearing aid before and couldn’t believe Malcolm could talk. Malcolm told him about his cochlear implants, and they ended up playing together.

School can be challenging, but Malcolm is learning to advocate for himself. He has worked hard to learn to read, spell, and sound out words. He knows to say ‘excuse me’ when he needs his teacher to repeat something for him. When Malcolm grows up, he wants to be either a superhero or a wildlife expert. He also wants to act and model, and he likes working with his hands and dreams of building a house. He thinks being deaf could help him, as he wouldn’t be bothered by all the construction noise. Malcolm, we love how you dream BIG!