Kiddipedia
Imagine hearing the words, “I’m sorry, your baby didn’t pass the hearing screening test.” Despite Australia’s stake as a global leader in innovation that promotes and supports people living with hearing loss, including universal newborn hearing screening and specialist early childhood intervention services, hearing loss can often be stigmatised as an invisible disability for children like Queensland 11-month-old Cohen Gorman.
Cohen is one of the 1 in 6 Australians impacted by hearing loss, born with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss in both ears. For Cohen’s Mum and first-time parent, Tamara Nevin, it was heartbreaking when doctors told her that her newborn hadn’t passed the hearing screening test last March.
“Cohen’s our first child, and it’s tough being a first-time parent. As a new mum, you’re second guessing yourself and worried about things that could happen or go wrong, but his hearing screening test was the last thing on my mind,” she said.
“We had a number of tests done and Cohen received a referral result on all of them. At first, I felt like it was just fluid in his ears, but by his second test, in our hearts we just knew something wasn’t right with Cohen’s hearing.”
With no family history of hearing loss and in the midst of a global pandemic, Tamara says Cohen’s diagnosis was an isolating and stressful experience, but hope was found when she came across First Voice centre, Hear and Say on Instagram.
“When we found out about Cohen’s hearing loss, we started to search online for information. We were scrolling on Instagram, looking at the tags about hearing loss and deaf children, when we came across a page from a family who goes to Hear and Say,” Tamara said.
“My sister first contacted Hear and Say and arranged a Zoom meeting with Jess Balfour-Ogilvy (Clinical Manager for Listening and Spoken Language). At this stage, Cohen’s hearing loss wasn’t confirmed, and we weren’t enrolled with Hear and Say, but Jess gave us her time and explained the outcomes possible for Cohen. With Jess’ advice, we suddenly didn’t feel as alone, and our fears that he would never hear us say we loved him started to subside.”
Tamara’s experience finding out about Cohen’s hearing loss is one that’s been walked time and time again. New national First Voice research on hearing loss reveals that despite the fact children born deaf in Australia can learn to hear, listen and speak just like a child with typical hearing, 94 per cent of Australians are unaware that this can be the reality and 84% don’t know where to turn to for support if their child is born with or develops hearing loss.
Chair of First Voice Australia, Mark Fitzpatrick, says the results from First Voice’s new national research show there’s a misconception around hearing loss in Australia.
“Results from First Voice’s research demonstrates how increased education and awareness is critical in ensuring parents of children with hearing loss know where to go to for early intervention and support,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
“Only 50% of children with a permanent hearing loss access specialist early intervention services resulting in many children entering school without the language and literacy abilities of their peers. The social and economic consequences of this have been estimated at around $250 million each year.”
With early and effective interventions, children with hearing loss in 2021 – like Cohen – who receive listening and spoken language therapy and technology such as cochlear implants or hearing aids have the potential to develop speech and language at the same rate as children with “typical hearing”.
This Hearing Awareness Week (March 1 – 7) provides an opportunity to raise awareness on how these timely and effective interventions can help children born deaf or hard of hearing reach their full potential and build stronger connections with those in the community with hearing loss.
In December, at just nine-months-old, Cohen underwent lifechanging surgery for two cochlear implants. Cohen now receives listening and spoken therapy, audiology support for his cochlear implants and attends group social programs at Queensland’s Hear and Say.
As for Tamara, she has one message for Australian families this Hearing Awareness Week.
“For any parents out there going through this journey, there is hope. Cohen isn’t limited by his hearing loss, and he isn’t defined by it. Cohen’s a really happy boy and completely “typical” for his age except for the accessories he wears on his ears,” she says
“It is so important other families know help is out there for them and you do not have to go through this journey alone. Coming to Hear and Say and speaking with our team has allowed us to really understand Cohen’s hearing loss. Seeing other kids with cochlear implants as well as talking with other parents and carers has normalised his diagnosis and ultimately, has helped us to not feel alone.”
First Voice and their respective centres across Australia, including Queensland’s Hear and Say, provide world-class early intervention and clinical services to give children born deaf or hard of hearing the listening and spoken language skills to reach their full potential.
To mark Hearing Awareness Week, First Voice centre, The Shepherd Centre have also launched a Listening Check Tool. The online listening check tool is available to all Australians (here) and enables parents and caregivers to check a child’s functional listening by answering a set of simple questions, providing insights into how an individual listens in both natural environments and settings.
For more information on First Voice centres, head to https://www.firstvoice.org.au/first-voice-member-organisations/.
