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
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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.
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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.
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If you could make one special wish, what would it be? Write to us: info@hearingourway.com.
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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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