Please Don't Use Sarcasm With My Students

I wish some teachers and school staff members would stop using negative sarcasm with some of my deaf and hard of hearing students. Sarcasm can sometimes be confusing. Some of my students are not sure how to respond because they may not know if the person is being serious or not. It can be hard for deaf and hard of hearing people to hear the slight difference between a sarcastic tone and a serious one. Many rely on facial expression and if the person says something harsh but is smiling, we may assume that he or she is being sarcastic. But, not everyone express sarcasm or seriousness in the same ways. It can be hard to tell if the person is being sarcastic especially if you are unable to hear the tone of their voice.

I think that when sarcasm is being used with some students, it would be helpful for the person to explain to the students that they are being sarcastic. People should be careful with how they use sarcasm with students. Lighthearted sarcasm is fine, if used in moderation, but negative sarcasm or sarcasm used to put down the student is not all right, in my opinion.

Negative sarcasm can be hurtful and embarrassing. For example, if I were to state the obvious, I think it would be rude if someone I work with were to sarcastically tell me, "Really, Einstein?"

I remember as a child I thought one of my teachers was being sarcastic and I laughed thinking she was only joking. She got angry and acted as if I insulted her, because it turned out she was not being sarcastic. That was a very uncomfortable situation.

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Why I Don't Own an iPod or Wear Ear Buds to Listen to Music

Photograph of ear buds from ebnt

I do not own an iPod or listen to music using ear buds for several reasons.

• Unless I am at home, I would have to take my hearing aid out in order to put the ear bud in. It would be a hassle to have to do this.

• When I am out and about, I like to be aware of my surroundings, especially around my left side (since I am profoundly deaf in my left ear, for the most part). Wearing an iPod or listening to music in my right ear would make it impossible for me to pay attention to my surroundings. It is funny to me how people make themselves "deaf" to their surroundings when listening to music through headphones or ear buds as they walk around outside.

• I would not want to constantly clean the ear buds. Many people are probably not aware of the fact that they should clean the ear buds to prevent infection and nasty bacteria from spreading. This short article explains the importance of cleaning them to prevent unwanted health issues. 

• Constantly listening to music using ear buds, that sit near the sensitive and fragile inner ear parts, does not sound like a good idea to me. Because I already have a significant hearing loss, I am aware of the possibility of making my hearing worse through constant exposure to loud sounds and noises. I want to protect my hearing as much as I can by avoiding listening to music through ear buds. I do not want to risk unknowingly listening to music at unsafe levels. Apparently, the sound of an iPod Shuffle has been measured at 115 dB!! Most professionals seem to believe that constant exposure to decibels of 85 or above can cause hearing loss. To help prevent yourself from listening to music at dangerous levels, you can easily set a maximum volume limit. Some parents will set the limit or set a "volume lock" before giving their children the iPod or music device. Unfortunately, it is very easy to find ways to change the limit or to take off the volume lock. If it is likely that constantly listening to music at dangerous levels through ear buds can cause hearing loss, why do some companies continue to have the maximum volume limit set so ridiculously high? 

I prefer giant headphones with the soft cushioned ear cups. But, I only wear them when it is necessary. You won't see me using them everyday or wearing them walking down the street, oblivious to my surroundings. I don't have this need to constantly be listening to music when I am out and about.

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Videos of Deaf and Hard of Hearing People That Students Liked the Most

I have been giving short presentations about deaf and hard of hearing people, interesting, successful, and famous ones, to various classes. 

The students seemed to be most impressed with these people and videos below:

It has been so fun to do these presentations and to talk with teachers and students about deaf and hard of hearing topics. They ask the most interesting questions. Based on many of the questions asked, I am always surprised at the lack of awareness there is about deaf and hard of hearing people.

Gotta do more next year.

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Compensating For My Hearing Loss: Standing Too Close For Comfort

When I think about myself as a child growing up with partial deafness, I sometimes will look back and say, "Oh, that is why I did that!"

A situation a student had recently, reminded me of how I used to stand really close to whomever was trying to walk and talk to me at the same time. As my head turned towards them, so I can face the speaker, I would unknowingly move in closer and closer, which was uncomfortable for many, especially if they did not know why I was doing this.

My friends wondered why I liked to stand really, really close to them sometimes. Some of them found it annoying. One told me, "Back off! I can smell on your breath what you had for lunch!" Typically, I would apologize and step back to give the speaker some space. But, I would always naturally gravitate back to standing very close to the speaker, especially if we were walking side by side or if he or she was on my deaf side.

I never really thought about why I did this until I started learning about what it means to be hard of hearing.

I think if I had paid more attention to my hearing loss and understood why I did some of the things I did (to compensate for my hearing loss) it could have saved a lot of frustration, confusion, and embarassment.

Today, depending on the situation, sometimes I will catch myself standing too close to someone as they talk to me. But I learned that as long as the person is on my better hearing side and I have good visibility of his or her face, I will remain at a comfortable distance. 

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My Audiogram Using Audiogram Creator

HearingAidKnow added new audiogram templates for their Audiogram Creator. Some of the templates include speech sounds and the 'speech banana'.

I created one with speech sounds, using my audiogram:

If you want to learn more about my hearing loss, visit the How Do I Hear? tab.

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Related post:

Detailed Description of My Deafness

Excellent Online Resource For Deaf and Hard of Hearing

This is a great FREE online resource for teachers and parents of deaf and hard of hearing children. It is also great for those who want to learn more about hearing loss, advocacy, technology, and more.

Click on this link, http://www.phonak.com/us/b2c/en/products/fm/gap.html, which will take you to Phonak's GAP Access Planning.

To the right you will see a section that says 'Downloads'. Click on this and download the program to your computer, preferably a PC. Be sure to extract all files or select 'Extract all files'. You may also download pages in PDF form.

I really like this guide. It is an interactive presentation which covers basically everything you should know or be aware of when it comes to deaf and hard of hearing issues. Although this seems to be more for deaf or hard of hearing teenagers or young adults, I think it is a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about deafness. The guide also includes resources specifically for professionals and for parents and family members. This guide seems unbiased and does not only talk about one communication mode or seem to prefer one over another.

I highly recommend everyone to download this guide and use it.

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Presentations With Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

I have been doing presentations with some of my deaf and hard of hearing students in their classrooms. The presentations are about famous and successful people who are deaf and hard of hearing (Ashley Fiolek, Sean Forbes, Antoine Hunter, Vinton Cerf, etc.).

It was the second time doing this presentation for one of them, a 3rd grader. He really enjoyed doing it last year. As we wrapped up the presentation, we encouraged his classmates and teacher to ask questions. He basically took over and answered all of their questions, which were mostly directed at him. He did a really good job explaining how his hearing aids work and the different ways deaf and hard of hearing people can communicate.

During this Q & A session, he was asked about how he feels about wearing hearing aids. He looked at me, and I thought that maybe he did not want to answer the question, knowing how this is a sensitive topic for him, so I thought that I should answer for him. "Wearing hearing aids is a different experience for everyone. Some people like it, some don't mind, some are tying to get used to wearing hearing aids, and some simply don't like wearing hearing aids and may be self conscious about it." I was going to talk some more, but my student jumped in and started talking about how he felt about wearing his hearing aids. He talked about how he is dealing with them. He talked about how sometimes he is embarrassed by them and that he thought about growing his hair longer to try to cover them. He would like them to be invisible. But, he said that he likes them too, because they help him hear better. He likes to wear them when he watches television or listens to music. I asked him if it was sort of like a love/hate relationship. He said, "Yes! That is exactly how it is! But, I am working on it. I have only been wearing them for two years. I might need more time to get used to them. Maybe one day they won't be such a big deal to me."

I really was impressed with how honest he was when sharing his personal feelings with the entire class. It takes a lot of guts to share your private thoughts and feelings to a roomful of people.

I am going to have to do these presentations more often.

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Alien Language, What Would it Look Like?

I am always fascinated by discussions about language; what is it and how we learn it.

I wrote an short essay while in graduate school about what the language of aliens (from outer space) would possibly look like if I were to observe them. The essay is basically a comment about what constitutes a language and how we acquire it. The one thing I pointed out in the essay which I find to be true is that language should be something that is natural that would ideally be acquired indirectly, not through formal instruction.

Here is the essay: 

I would expect the aliens’ language to be different from English in several ways. Perhaps if their language can be expressed vocally or through sounds, it would not sound the same as English. Most likely, the aliens would have a different name for the moon, the sky, and the stars. Maybe they would have only one word or symbol that represents all three. For example, the Navajo language has ten different verbs for different kinds of carrying (Baker, 2001, p.6), while the English language has several words for happy. Perhaps there would also be a difference in how the aliens would express their language. Are there more gestures? Do they interrupt each other? Are they loud and expressive?

Baker’s chapter, The Discovery of Atoms makes an interesting comparison between the chemical and physical make up of wood and language (Baker, 2001). Baker asks how could wood look different from ashes and smoke, even though they come from the same wood (Baker, 2001, p.21). Based on this observation, it can be determined that even if the aliens’ language and the English language are different from each other, they share a common denominator. Like the wood, both of the languages are made up of the same basic ingredients, but are shaped and used differently to accompany each others’ cultures.  From studies of the Mohawk language, it is obvious that it differs from English in many ways. However, Mohawk obeys the same general rules of linguistic construction that words and phrases do in other languages (Baker, 2001, p. 97). In addition, languages are always changing over time. Language is natural and inconsistent (Murcia, 1999, p.3). It is not formally instructed to children. They pick it up naturally. It would be assumed that the aliens would have learned and developed their language in similar ways.

References

Baker, M.C. (2001). The Atoms of Language: The Mind’s Hidden Rules of Grammar, 1^st ed. Basic Books.

Celce-Murcia, Marianne and Larsen-Freeman, Diane. (1999). Grammar Book, 2^nd ed. New York: Heinle & Heinle Publishers 

 

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As a HOH Person, I Get Nervous About Knocking On Doors

I have some anxiety about knocking on closed doors, to see if anyone is in the room or if it is safe for me to come in. Through the closed door, I usually will not hear if the person said, "Come in." or "Don't come in."

I have had many embarrassing experiences with walking in when I thought someone said, "Come in!" when really they said, "Just a minute!"

I have learned that it is best not to say anything and just wait until someone opens the door, unless I can make out someone telling me to come in.

Today, I knocked on a closed door of the office of a school principal. I thought I heard something, but I did not want to risk opening the door or responding. I wasn't sure if she was even in there. I stood there quietly, waiting. I told myself I would give her 5 minutes. Suddenly, the door opened. "Oh, it's you. I said, "Come in." but I guess you did not hear me," she said, smiling. I told her about my past experiences with walking in when I shouldn't have. She totally understood and we began our meeting.

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Photo from Flckr

Should Students Have the Same Interpreter For Several Years?

In your opinion, is it better for a student to have the same interpreter for several years or the entire time they are in school (until they graduate or move away)? Or should they be exposed to different interpreters throughout the years they attend school?

Personally, I do not see anything wrong with having the same interpreter for several years, as long as the interpreter remains professional and meets the student's needs appropriately.

It depends.

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Being Friendly with Students: How Much is Too Much?

I will occasionally hug some of my students, when they look as if they need a hug or if they attempt to give me one. The hugs are usually pretty casual, almost more like half hugs and very short. I never hug my middle school and high school male students, and I would never feel comfortable doing this. For the most part, I will shake hands and give high fives. But, I feel that a smile, a warm greeting, and a positive compliment is usually all they need.

That's it.

I don't constantly hug them, shower them with compliments, play with their hair, give them kisses on their heads, or act as if I am their buddies.

It bothers me when I see other adults (other than their parents) do this with some of my students. I don't think it is okay to constantly play with my student's long hair and tell her, "You're beautiful!" I don't think it okay to have my student sit in your lap, even if he is in kindergarten. I don't think it is okay to constantly hug my students or try to hold their hands when it is not necessary. I don't think it is cute or funny when a student calls their teachers "mom" or "mamma".

From what I have seen, I am going to assume that many of these people, who are extra friendly with my students, don't mean anything by it. But, someone has to tell them to stop. And why does it always have to be me that has to tell them?


Why I think being too friendly or emotionally invested with my students is a bad idea:

• They are my students, not my children. 

• I don't want to make them uncomfortable. 

• I don't want them to see me as their "mom" or "friend".

• Things can change. I might not be their teacher next year or I might be assigned another student. The last thing I need is to be too emotionally attached to my student and vice versa. It would be sad, yes, but I would not think it would be the end of the world and I hope my student would feel the same. 

• I don't want to view my students as only these cute and wonderful kids I want to hug all of the time, because it would make it difficult for me to see the real issues and problems that may exist with these students. 

• How is a student going to take me seriously if they see me as his or her friend?

• I don't particularly enjoy hugging, kissing, and holding hands with my students, even if they are really cute. It doesn't feel comfortable for me to act this way with students.  

• (Added by a reader, thanks). Children need to understand the role of adults in schools and trust them. Boundaries need to be clear to keep them safe. When children don't understand what is inappropriate behaviour from an adult in school, they accept it as okay because Miss/Mrs/Mr So and So used to do it and they were nice.

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My Mother's Battle for Closed Captions With Comcast

My mother finally decided to join the rest of us and switch over from a VHS (Video Home System) player to a DVR (Digital Recording Device).

She was super excited about not having to collect anymore clunky tapes. She really likes how easy it is to record things by just pressing some buttons. Before getting the DVR, she was afraid that it would be difficult to use or something would go wrong.

She will find out later that she was right to have these reservations.

While she was very happy with the recording aspect, the closed-captions disappeared. She could not figure out how to get them back on. It appeared that the closed captions were disabled and she was not able to get them back on through the usual way (through menu options).This upset her because she has grown to like using closed captions when watching her beloved Soaps, especially when she vacuums. She asked me to come over and check it out. But, I could not figure it out.

So, she called Comcast and asked about this. First, they tried to tell her over the phone how to fix it. My mother followed the directions and tried their suggestions. They did not work. They urged her to try again, and they kept telling her that it was an "easy fix" and that she should be able to fix it on her own with the directions they gave her. They insinuated that she was not doing it correctly. She of course became upset and asked if they can send a technician over. They kept advising against it, saying it was not necessary. She kept insisting that they send someone over to help, even though she felt like giving up. The customer service representative kept suggesting that my mother try to find someone who knows how to solve this problem. He kept hinting at how it would be costly and a nuisance to send a technician over. She told him that she did not care and wanted someone to come over and solve this problem now. It did not seem to really matter much to them even after she told him about me, saying that I would not be able to watch television without the captions when I come over.

I think it is strange that they were so reluctant to send a technician over to help. They have their reasons I suppose.

Finally, after my mother spent more time on the phone not being listened to, someone agreed to send a technician over to help on a certain day at a certain time.

BUT. . .

The technician never came!

Aargh!
And of course, the closed captions still did not come back on.

My mom called again. Again it was the same nonsense. They were confused and did not know why the captions were not coming up. But, they kept saying it was supposed to be easy and that she can get them back on by herself by just following their directions. She refused and demanded that someone should come over.

Finally, they agreed to send a technician.

Meanwhile, my mother was shown a newspaper article which discusses how the captions disappeared after the HDMI switch (to digital). It suggested that it can be solved using HDMI cables or that a switch back to the old cabling system may be necessary. The article was written by Bill Husted of the AJC Constitution. She cut that article out and saved it. I wish I can find a link to the entire article online. If someone is able to find a link to this article, please send it to me and I will post it here. 

So. . .

This time the technician actually came by.

But, he could not figure it out. He was confused and was convinced that there must be something wrong with the television. He could not figure it out and basically told my mother that there was nothing he can do. My mother could not believe it.

Then, she remembered what the newspaper article said and mentioned the cables. She handed him the newspaper article. The technician read it and was astonished. He started taking her more seriously and then was able to solve the problem using the article's advice. All he had to do was put in the old cable component or COM2 cable instead of the HDM1 cable.

It probably took no more than 5 minutes, my mother recalled.

The technician told her how grateful he was that she shared this information with him. He could not believe that no one at Comcast told him about this or were aware of how to solve this problem this way. He was upset about the time he wasted and the frustration he and his customers endured because there seemed to be no easy solution to bringing the closed captions back. He said that he will definitely bring this issue up at the next meeting. 

So, now the captions are back on after a lot of persistence on my mother's part.

What would have happened if she was not shown this article? What would she have done? Most likely, she would have wasted more time and energy calling Comcast and writing them letters, until something could be done about this. It would have been a total headache.

So, if you are having trouble getting closed captions back on after making an HDMI switch or getting a DVR, there is a solution. Do not let them make you think otherwise!

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Cute Deaf & HOH Student Stories

Here is a list of a few blog posts about some of the amazing students I work with.

• Yes, I Know. Thank You.

• What Do Wind Chimes Sound Like?

• I Can Hear This and That!

• Sticky Notes Activity With Hard of Hearing Student 

• Food Language Fun With My Hard of Hearing Student

• "This Make Me Enraged"

• Why Do You Have a Sign Language Interpreter?

• Possible Future Deaf and Hard of Hearing Advocate

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The Deaf or HOH Child Who Brings a Book to Dinner With Family

I would hope that if your deaf child comes to dinner with a book to read, knowing that he or she will not be able to participate in the conversations, that you would consider trying to figure out how your child would like to communicate and work hard at trying to figure out what would be the best way for your child to be able to participate in the conversations with his or her family.

No one should think that they will not be able to participate in conversations with his or her family.

This should not be allowed.

But, it happens, unfortunately.

"Nice dinner time with my family, Ms. (e? Yeah right, I bring a book. I never can follow everything that is being said. Why should I work so hard, when they don't work hard to include me? I will just read my book and everyone will be happy."

: (

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Which Is Better AVT or ASL?

Which is better for the deaf or hard of hearing child? Using Auditory Verbal Therapy or American Sign Language?

In my opinion, one is not better than the other.

But, using either ASL or AVT will probably not work, if the family or caregivers do not have the time, willingness, patience, and resources.

[Of course, I am aware that some deaf and hard of hearing people have been successful using neither methods, other methods, or nothing at all, really].

If a typical hearing parent wanted to use ASL to communicate with their child, the parent will most likely not be fluent or have any experience using ASL because hardly anyone in the hearing population uses ASL or any type of sign language. Therefore, they better be able to put in the hard work it takes to learn ASL and to use it fluently with the child. Children need to be exposed to complex language starting day one to develop typical language skills. Here is an excellent article about this topic written by Auditory Verbal Parents which explains the importance of exposing babies to complex language consistently and fluently and how this cannot happen with most average hearing parents trying to learn ASL or use 'baby signs' with their deaf or hard of hearing babies.

If a parent wanted to go the AVT route, they better have access to highly qualified and certified AVT therapists in the area. Being able to have the time to learn the techniques and devote to working with your child is essential. Having money helps too. Guidelines to the Success of AVT and Cochlear Implants is a great article which explains how her mother's involvement and commitment played an important role.

Here is a snippet of a comment left under this article, which I thought summed up nicely what I am trying to say here:

i think early implantees (is that even the right term – i have no idea) like you and me really had it good with support services/family support etc. I’m sure the doctors screened for families who supported their children and were committed to the child’s linguistic growth. We had access to the best audiologists, best doctors, etc.

However, I don’t see the same trend today and that disturbs me. So many of these CI “failures” (a horrible term for them) are just a product of poorly constructed programs. CIs are almost becoming too common – some families might not be able to handle the time commitment that goes into proper AVT therapy (after all, poorer families tend to have less time and resources at their disposal). I think you or your mother pointed out in this blog – there will be some linguistic delay no matter how early a child is implanted and a 24-channel implant will never be equal to natural hearing. It requires substantial work as well as resources and not all families or regions are equipped for that.


I’m not saying ASL is the right route for these families either – if they don’t have time for AVT, they sure as hell won’t have time for ASL. However, something like boarding school for the Deaf might be good for them. It’s a sad situation with no clear answers.

Before you make statements about how one communication mode or one way of educating deaf and hard of hearing children is better than another, think about how every child is different, have different families, and come from different circumstances. Would you really blame the communication mode chosen if the child came from a family who were homeless for a large portion of the child's life? Would you blame the communication mode that was chosen because the child was adopted at six years old from another country where he was neglected and abused in an orphanage for several years?

If someone were to look at one of my students who uses sign language, if this person has reservations about sign language, then they may say, "Oh, look at that. See how sign language has caused him to be language delayed and not on grade level? Such a shame." But, would they still think this if they fully understood where my student came from? I think they would change their mindset once they understood the complicated and chaotic life he had before. Others who are against cochlear implantation may look at another student of mine and say, "Aw, man. What a shame! The implant obviously does not work and has ruined her life. She can't talk or hear anything." They would probably change their views on this once they understood what kind of family she is coming from, the lack of support she gets from them, the complicated life she had before and still continues to have, the fact that her family has not followed up with doctors and audiologists in several years.

As I always say, the key to having successful and happy children is a loving, supportive family, with the means to be able to provide the necessary resources.

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Happy Mother's Day

I would like to say Happy Mother's Day to all the good, loving, and hard working moms out there using a video I made for my mom a few years ago. 



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It's Teacher Appreciation Week

It is teacher appreciation week (May 2- May 6).

What would be a good way to show our appreciation? Free lunches? Cakes? Flowers? An umbrella from the school board with a note that says, "Thanks for all that you do!"?

With the good teachers, I have noticed that what they want more than anything is for someone to recognize what a fantastic job they are doing and to tell them thanks. That's all.

I ran into a teacher at a middle school the other day. As always, she was smiling and she excitedly told me about an interesting history activity her students will be involved with today. I told her, "You know, I really enjoy coming to your classes. They are one of my favorites. You are awesome at what you do, I like how you have such excitement and passion for what you do." It looked as if for a moment she was going to cry. Instead she hugged me and said, "Thank you! You have no idea how much hearing that means to me!" Then she had to run off to get ready to co-teach a Biology class. I noticed more energy in her walk. Her smile grew bigger.

So, if you know a really good teacher, please take the time to thank her or him. They need to hear from others what an awesome job they are doing. 

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More Posts About Hearing Aids

Here is a list of more blog posts I have written about hearing aids.

• Helping a Student Change Her Hearing Aid Batteries
• Can Hearing Aids Damage Your Hearing?
• Videos: Hearing Aids Should Be Covered By Insurance
• If You Can Drink $5.00 Lattes Everyday, You Can Afford Hearing Aids
• Hearing Aid Tube Moisture. How To Avoid It Or Get Rid Of It
• Student Helped Change Her Hearing Aid Tube
• How I Replace An Old Hearing Aid Tube
• Asking a Student About His Hearing Aids

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All About Hearing Aids

Since I have been blogging about hearing aids, I thought I should share some posts I have written in the past that are related to this topic:

• What the Heck Chewed On My Hearing Aid Ear Mold?! 

• Worried About Neighbors Using Hearing Aids to Spy On You?

• What Not to Do With Your Hearing Aids

• What To Do With Your Hearing Aids

• Temporary Monkey Hearing Aid Box

• Hearing Aid Peek-A-Boo

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No! My Hearing Aid!

Last week, I was visiting a preschool classroom where there is a little boy with a moderate low frequency hearing loss. He wears hearing aids in both ears. He usually has no problem keeping them in and seems to not mind them. What we are currently working on is having him name them hearing aids, rather than point at them and call them "Nuh! Nuh! Nah!" whenever he has a problem with them or if the battery goes out.

I played with him and his friends for a bit this morning. We fought some intense battles using plastic knight figurines.

In the middle of slaying an imaginary dragon, I asked him what those things are in his ears and he yelled, "Hearing aids!"

Then he smiled and pointed at mine and said, "Hearing aid."

I responded, "Yes, that is right this is my hearing aid. But, I only have one."

He looked at my other ear and said, "No," shaking his head.

I responded, "That's right, I do not wear a hearing aid in my left ear."  

Then I asked him if I could look at one of his hearing aids. I explained to him that I was going to listen to his hearing aid using a hearing aid stethoscope to see if it is working OK. He reluctantly let me take his right hearing aid and he watched me as I took out my hearing aid and put the stethoscope's ear piece in my ear and placed the "head" on the hearing aid's ear mold to listen. I felt as if I was a doctor listening to the tiny hearing aid's heart beating.

I looked at him with a serious look and said, "I think he will live."

His teacher laughed, while he continued to stand there looking at me, wondering what the heck I was doing.

It was so interesting because his hearing aid only amplifies the lower frequencies. Because I have a moderate-severe hearing loss in the high frequencies, I could not hear much in the high frequency areas. Speech sounds were quieter and the ringing toy nearby became silent. It was very uncomfortable for me because I have typical hearing in the lower frequencies in my right ear, which his hearing aid amplifies.

But, nevertheless, it sounded as if this hearing aid was working properly and I quickly cleaned his ear mold and then the stethoscope. Then I put his hearing aid back on and he took off to play with his friends.

As I was leaving the classroom, when it was time for me to go, I waved goodbye to him.

He frowned, waved his little finger at me, and cried, "No! My hearing aid!" "Mine!"

"Yes! They are your hearing aids!" I assured him, smiling.

I went over and explained to him that I will not do that again, unless any problems develop with his hearing aids that requires me or his teacher to listen to them.

He smiled and pointed at my hearing aid, "Mine! My hearing aid!"

Then he busted up in a fit of laughter and I laughed with him at his little joke.

I love my job. :) 

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Sleeping With Your Hearing Aids

Is there anyone who keeps their hearing aids on at all times, even to bed, except when you go swimming or take a bath or shower?

I know a few who do, and they will never take off their hearing aids when they go to bed. Why? Some of them told me that it is because they are afraid of not being able to wake up or hear their alarm or if something were to happen. For one of them, something traumatic happened in the past while she was sleeping and she did not wake up, because she did not hear it (did not have her hearing aids on at the time).

Although some people have their reasons for keeping their hearing aids on at all times, this concerns me. I would be concerned if one of my students did this. I do not like the idea of being super dependent on hearing aids. It concerns me when some people get very frightened by the idea of not wearing their hearing aids or if their hearing aids were to go out and they had no batteries on them. If my hearing aid went out, I would be annoyed, but I would not freak out and feel helpless.

I can think of a number of reasons why we should not have to wear our hearing aids at all times or when we go to bed:

• First of all, our ears could use some rest from wearing hearing aids. I repeatedly take breaks from wearing my hearing aid. I look forward to resting quietly and letting my ear breathe. I would compare it to taking my shoes off when I get home. It is more comfortable for me to take off my hearing aid if I want to relax or do something that does not require listening. 

• I would think that wearing hearing aids all of the time would cause discomfort and can be unhygienic. Think about how much moisture your hearing aid collects throughout the day, especially if it is a hot and humid day causing you to sweat. If you don't give your hearing aids and ears a chance to air out, the hearing devices can get moist and can cause more wax build up. I imagine my ear canal becoming a mini moist cave of various bacteria if not cleaned and aired out frequently. Sometimes hearing aids can cause blisters or sores from repeated use, if the hearing aid is not cleaned properly or maintained properly.

• Wearing hearing aids at all times, especially to bed, can cause more wear and tear to the hearing aid causing it not to last as long. Hearing aids are fragile and expensive little devices and they should be treated as such. Would you sleep with your new laptop?

• Batteries would not last as long if the hearing aid is repeatedly used. 

What do you think? Do some of you sleep with your hearing aids on? If not, do you wear your hearing aids at all times, even when you are at home or by yourself not listening to anything?

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*Photo from Flckr