Hearing Our Way: Fall 2023

The magazine for kids and teens with hearing loss

Fall 2023 ing m o c ver acles bst

Meet

ALI !

fun & s e m a g

Contents 4 Things

Hi from Mel!

We Love

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 • ALI Eva’s Bookshelf • Eva ith special thanks to all of our W featured H W friends

Dear Readers,

up the last ning, and it’s time to soak gin be is ar ye ol ho sc r he Anot positive vibes right into fall. se tho ing br d an e hin ns su er of the summ with hearing erview ALI, a contestant int to y nit rtu po op e th d When I ha es. she was all about good vib at th e se ly ick qu uld co I , loss from The Voice r gave up and twice before, but she neve ow sh e th for ed ion dit She had au gled in her life when she strug es tim d ha I AL it. e ad m e kept trying until sh d learned to e built her confidence an sh e tim er ov t bu , m tee with self-es is the perfect ming Obstacles story co er Ov I’s AL lf. rse he e lov ol! inspiration for back to scho some great es in look we love to tyl irs ha d an s irt sh ol co e From som ure Station to a special feat n tio ira sp In in y rit leb advice from a ce erything you friend Victoria, we have ev r ou m fro s tip y ac oc dv with self-a ar off to the best start! need to get your school ye ur voice, lieve in yourself, find yo be to is ar ye ol ho sc is th My wish for you only! and embrace good vibes lp, he r fo k as to id ra af don’t be

www.HearingOurWay.com info@hearingourway.com PO Box 13, Greenlawn, New York 11740 Volume 10, No. 3 ©2023 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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an, M.S.D.E. Mel Paticoff Grossm 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 Cover photo by: Chris Haston/NBC © Copyright 2022 NBCUniversal Media, LLC

You Are Brave!

You can do anything you set your mind to.

Ultratec.com

things e v o l e w Look We L ve: Back-to-School Vibes Thelma and Kyle are ready to go back to school with their fresh looks.

Thelma, 8, has unilateral hearing loss and wears one cochlear implant.

Whether she’s living in Texas, Nevada, or Virginia, she enjoys singing, dancing, and playing with her friends, especially when she’s rocking a cool shirt like this!

Kyle shows off his sleek new haircut. He chose a close shave at the bottom with longer hair at the top, sometimes called a ‘fade,’ which lets him proudly show off his cochlear implant.

It’s clear that Kyle is an awesome role model, with his little bro showing off the same cut!

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ti n InspiratioN Sta her talk show, The Kelly

ks on shared on , a learning Si ng er Ke lly Cl ar River, has dyslexia , er ht ug da r he at g bullied at Clarkson Show, th g. River was bein in ad re ts ec aff . disability that all the other kids able to read like g in be t no r fo school kl er, an actor who Gu es t He nr y Win t has written 40 is also dyslexic bu tfelt shared this hear children’s books, ow ver to help her kn message with Ri arning more than her le that she is much is ct: Kelly Clarkson disability. (Fun fa 6.)

I’s story on page also a part of AL

has nothing to do “ How you learn t you are.” with how brillian d author er, actor an — Henry Winkl

okshelf o B ’s a v E : e v L books We Eva is a 14-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 Junior Scientist’s Guide to Hearing Loss by Sonya Kulkarni is an educational book that teaches children about the world of hearing loss. It answers questions such as what is hearing loss, how does sound travel through the ear, what is it like going to an audiologist, and more. It also includes self-advocacy tips for kids and advice for parents. The book features colorful pictures and diagrams that engage and help the reader to further understand. Best of all, the book was written and illustrated by a high school senior with hearing aids and alumna of Central Institute for the Deaf who is passionate about science, advocacy, and journalism.

I recommend this book to kids with hearing loss and their friends without hearing loss who want to learn more about the science behind hearing.

Mee t four sibs, liwnhognes ver let

Mus ic to my ea rs

from Topeka, K ansa the way of fun ! hearing loss ge t in

uses a cochlear loss in her right ear and ng ari he al ter ila un s not have Delaney (9) ha (14), and Miriam (11) do n An lly Ke ), (15 ey dr implant. Big sisters Au , dancing, ying on the trampoline pla e lov ey th er th ge To hearing loss. swim team. being teammates on a cheering, crafting, and there for her en she needs help. I was wh ey lan De for re the Audrey: I like being her with taking off and ry, and sometimes I help rge su nt pla im r lea ch co that she can after her r speech and language so he ct rre co y ntl ge I es. putting on her devic everyone around her. be better understood by thing because she didn’t doesn’t understand some ey lan De en Wh n: An team together, Kelly to her. We are all on swim it in pla ex to st be my do d alert her hear it right, I tructions for Delaney an ins ’s ach co the t ea rep lp and my sisters and I he starting horn. when she doesn’t hear the grown up playing closest in age, so we have the are I d an ey lan De : ke-believe!

Miriam kes it lots of fun to play ma ma n tio ina ag im ld wi ’s together. Delaney es, but we don’t let it me better than other tim ar he can ey lan De es Sometim no matter what. my sister, and we have fun change anything. She is lped me when en there for me. They he be s ay alw ve ha s ter sis Delaney: My en though I’m doing a hearing aids, and now ev my th wi ll we as ar he n’t I did ng me. We play plant, they are still helpi im r lea ch co w ne my th lot better wi ort I can do anything. ow with my family’s supp kn I e. tim the all er eth tog her dreams, and want her to pursue ey lan De e lov all We d: One Last Wor r lets her hearing loss , and hope that she neve tor ac or t ve a ng mi co be es to let such as that we hope she continu lity na rso pe ny fun zy cra a stop her. She has her side. shine! We are always by

Hearing loss is part of the whole family.

Share your story with us: info@hearingour way.com

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 music to my ears and think a song is playing, but no!

Music to my ears means that you are finding out good news, something that you’re happy to hear. Like this: “Finding out my best friend and I got the same teacher this year was music to my ears! I can’t wait to go back to school now that I know my best friend will be in my class.”

5

H W does ALI hear?

ng vercomi

With a microphone in hand, good vibes all around, and two hearing aids!

bstacles

f Stories o Inspiring Y e ou Teens Lik Kids and

All About Me Hi, I’m ALI, I’m 24-years-old, and this year I was a contestant on Season 23 of The Voice!

I’m from Southern California, and I love singing and playing music with my family.

ALI’s Words of Wisdom: independent is great, z Being but remember, there is no

Hearing My Way

award for doing it all alone.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and accept support. Your friends, family, teachers and other important people in your life are there for you and want to see you succeed.

I was born in 1998, before newborn hearing screenings were done in the hospital at birth. It wasn’t until I was almost a year old that anyone suspected I had hearing loss. My grandpa was the first to notice that I wasn’t responding to sound. My dad, a musician, would play the drums, and I wouldn’t react. My parents got my hearing checked, and I was diagnosed with conductive hearing loss. I tried many things to find the best fit for my hearing loss. I received my first hearing aids as a toddler.

I also tried bone anchored hearing aids on a headband. I had two stapendectomy surgeries to help correct my missing middle ear bone. Now I wear hearing aids, and I’m getting good benefit from them. I especially love the Bluetooth feature!

times will happen. Times z Hard when you will doubt yourself and your dreams. Times when you don’t feel good enough.

Keep trying, and don’t be afraid to go back to something you let go before.

z

It’s not about winning.

It’s about the process and learning experience.

Be present in the moment— the future is now!

My School Journey

Tell yourself, “It’s going

z to work, because I

My family and I have worked hard so I could learn to listen and talk. Growing up, my mom led my team of audiologists, teachers, speech pathologists, and doctors.

When I was a kid, my speech wasn’t as clear as it is now. At times even my parents couldn’t understand my muffled speech, but my younger sister Cammy always could! I am very grateful that I had access to early intervention, speech therapy, John Tracy Clinic preschool, special education, and IEP services. With support, I was able to attend mainstream public school starting in

I feel very privileged that my parents not only had the choice to pursue listening and spoken language for me, but also that they gave me choices and authority in choosing accommodations and support. For instance, I tried learning some ASL but found that with my hearing aids and lip reading skills, I didn’t need to use it. I also have a physical stiffness in my fingers, so I was not able to form some signs correctly.

That is why it is key that families have options to pursue communication methods that work best for them.

Music to my Ears I come from a musical family and have been singing since childhood. My parents remember that when my speech teacher Natasha came to our house, she would sing simple nursery rhymes like Old MacDonald with me, and I’d sing back ‘E-I-E-I-O’ in perfect pitch! I’ve always loved songs with deep bass sounds— and of course I chose some for The Voice auditions!

I think my conductive hearing loss has influenced my preference for low, deep frequencies and rich acoustic sound. My musical journey had some ups and downs. I participated in choir in school, but it wasn’t always the best experience, depending on the chorus teacher. In college, I was a music major.

Unfortunately that experience was even

© Chris Haston/NB

C

work hard for it.”

first grade. My accommodations included sitting at the front of the class and having my teachers wear a microphone that streamed to my hearing aids.

Want to be on our next cover?

Email your stor y to info@he aringour way.com

Becoming a contestant on The Voice was not easy. In fact, this was my third time trying out for the show. My first time was during the pandemic at a local open call.

I got a callback, but it didn’t go further.

The second time, I got a callback but ultimately received an email that said it wasn’t my time. My friends wondered why I didn’t feel more disappointed, but I knew my heart wasn’t truly in it. The third time, I put my everything into it, and finally earned my chance.

ALI performs on The Voice stage.

My experience on the show has been amazing. I am honored to be part of this group of singers and musicians. It’s been a huge learning experience. In fact, I had never had professional vocal training before. My first voice lesson was with the show's vocal coach who helped prepare me for my audition. I knew that Kelly Clarkson would be the perfect coach to learn vocal strategies from, and that is why I chose to be on her team. Surprisingly,

I did not need many accommodations on the show. Even though the chairs look far away on TV, in real life they are closer, so I could read the coaches’ lips and hear them clearly from the stage. The speakers are under the stage, so I can feel the music to know when to enter. Fellow singers helped cue me as well. I really got along with everyone on the show. It was very inclusive and all around good vibes!

© Tyler Golden/NBC

This is The Voice !

© Tyler Golden/NBC

worse. I was required to take an audioonly class in which students were asked to identify frequencies by ear. My professor was not willing to work with me to find an accommodation or figure out a solution, and ultimately, I dropped out of school.

Luckily, my musical journey ends on a high note, and I hope that professor tuned into The Voice!

Calebis’sh Big W

Caleb, 11, from Walnut Grove, Minnesota, is a fifth grader who wears bilateral BAHAs (bone-anchored hearing aids) and is a big fan of wrestling. Last spring, Caleb had the opportunity to attend WrestleMania in Los Angeles, California, through Make-A-Wish Foundation, and he would love to tell you all about it.

Hi, I’m Caleb! I love playing games on Nintendo Switch and Playstation 5, swinging at the park, watching movies, and playing with action figure wrestlers.

My hearing loss was discovered when I was three-years-old, and by four, I started with a softband BAHA. I liked it so much that I had surgery for bilateral BAHAs. Because I was born with a congenital heart defect and had three open heart surgeries, I had the opportunit y to be a Wish Kid. It was hard to choose my special wish—I had a lot of ideas, like going to Disney World or a Bon Jovi concert to name a few. But when I heard my mom mention the idea of WrestleMania, I knew that was the one.

restler WWE w ley Bay

WrestleMania was LOUD! There were a few times it was so noisy that I took off my BAHAs during the wrestling match. I also took them off during the fireworks.

Some of the best parts of the trip were going on stage with one of my favorite wrestlers John Cena, meeting new friends, and seeing the Pacific Ocean. If you like wrestling, I definitely recommend going to WrestleMania.

WWE wr est Cody Rho ler des

If you could make one special wish, what would it be?

Write to us: info@hearingourway.com.

restler WWE w rgan Liv Mo

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Communication with (New) Friends

Victoria’s

Every time you go through a transition such as a new school, you can prepare to explain your hearing loss and needs to new people, including your peers.

• Be confident when explaining your communication needs and hearing technology—most people are interested in learning about it.

• Be clear with others about what you need. For example, field trips

can be noisy and chaotic. If you’re taking a bus, choose a seat that will be best for you to hear, and ask a friend to sit on your preferred listening side so you can chat easily.

for Back-to-School Hi, I’m Victoria, and I’m a 10th grader from Wisconsin.

I have sensorineural hearing loss and use a Roger Focus FM and a wireless receiver at school. Last year as a freshman, I learned a lot about transitioning from middle school to high school, especially when it comes to self-advocacy skills, and I’d love to share my tips with you!

Communication with Teachers I am grateful that my teacher of the deaf and educational audiologist will meet with my teachers to discuss my needs and technology.

Even so, I like to make sure to advocate for myself as well.

• In the beginning of the school year, I introduce myself to all of my different teachers and let them know that sitting in the front of the classroom is helpful to me.

• I will ask them to call my name, or the name of

the student they’re speaking to. This assures that they have my attention and makes it clear who is speaking.

• I’ll explain how the teacher repeating the

student’s answer will help make learning easier in case I didn’t catch the whole message the first time.

• Let friends know that you appreciate them repeating things for you when needed. A true friend will be happy to help.

Understanding Your Hearing Technology Whether you use hearing aids, cochlear implants, or assistive technology, it is really important that you become the “expert” of your hearing technology.

• Know how to turn your device on and off, adjust the volume, and charge it or change the batteries, so that you can build your confidence and teach others as well.

• Understand and use special

features of your technology.

For example, my FM system has oscillation capabilities that change when the system is worn by an individual or used in a group environment.

• Although it can be hard to ask

teachers and students to use and pass the FM microphone, I know that it helps me hear a lot better in classes, especially when it’s really loud or we have group work, so that I don’t miss important information.

Victoria is a self-advocacy star at school!

What are your best back-to-school self-advocacy tips that you would add to this list? Write to us: info@hearingourway.com.

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son s of e p y t What s sing? t e n pla s!

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ish the f d i d Why ian? usic m d o a go his new He k ! es scal

Dear Sophie, Hi! I’m Timmy, and I have profound hearing loss in my right ear and typical hearing in the left.

I wear a hearing aid in my right ear and use a Roger Focus® in my left ear while I’m at school.

Hi! I’m Austin. I have a bilateral mild to moderate hearing loss. I wear two hearing aids that connect to Bluetooth® —like AirPods®.

We met in first grade playing soccer. Now we go to school together. We bonded over having hearing loss. We both had times when we didn’t like our hearing aids and had to get used to them.

Now, we love that we can hear better with our hearing aids. The other kids even think it’s cool that we have this Bluetooth technology.

We love to hang out, play Fortnite, and build Legos.® It’s awesome to have a friend with hearing loss at school.

Love, Timmy and Austin

2

B D 4

make

A

C 1

10

3

The wires are all messed up. Help music lovers by connecting the number of headphones with letters of music players. Answer on page 12.

1. Inspiring stories and

5. Easily adaptable for lesson

articles that feature kids, teens, and adults with hearing loss

planning, curriculum, and IEP goals for all ages

6. Opportunities for all

2. Educational content

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7. An essential resource

3. Engaging kid-friendly

for every child with hearing loss that boosts self-esteem, confidence, and pride by showing other kids just like them

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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.

Hayden, age 14, is a ninth grader from Arizona. She has bilateral

moderate-severe conductive hearing loss and uses BAHAs (boneanchored hearing aids) on both sides. She loves to listen to music, dance, make TikTok videos, and hang out with her friends and family.

Hayden was born with VACTERL syndrome and bilateral microtia, and has had many surgeries in her life, including open heart surgery. She got her BAHAs at age four. Without her BAHAs, it is hard for Hayden to hear, but with them, it’s easy to hear! Even though the BAHAs work so well for Hayden, she made the brave decision to have another surgery at the age of 12 to create prosthetic ears. Hayden says, “I was happy when I found out that I could get my own ears. I got them because I wanted to wear earrings and to help my glasses stay up.” In fact, Hayden now has a collection of about 100 pairs of earrings—which she loves to accessorize with her funky glasses, brown BAHAs, acrylic nails, beaded bracelets, and Apple watch.

At school, Hayden works with her teacher of the deaf, Ms. Parpart. Ms. Parpart says, “Hayden has always been a positive force in the classroom. She is confident and a strong advocate for herself and others with disabilities.” Hayden enjoys reading Hearing Our Way magazine and has a message for readers: “Don’t give up; Just be yourself!”

Answer: 1-C, 2-D, 3-B, 4-A

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