As a person with hearing loss, I’ve been called ‘stupid,’ ‘horse-headed,’ and a person living in ‘La-La Land.’ I just want to be called by my name: Shanna. Or Lipreading Mom will do. And I am so not alone. Stop Hearing Loss Bullying and its video were created this year by me and 10 other … Continue reading
Filed under Coping with Hearing Loss …
Five People, Five Stories About Show Me Your Ears
This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of launching Show Me Your Ears. As part of the celebration, I asked readers to complete this sentence: “Show Me Your Ears is cool because _____________________________.” I am impressed with the sentences I received, and five stood out as being the coolest. Each of these five readers will … Continue reading
Join Me for Show Me Your Ears’ First Birthday Contest
I’d like you to join me for a celebration, complete with a contest and prizes. This Saturday, September 14, marks the one-year anniversary of my favorite project in the world, Show Me Your Ears. What is this campaign? It is an awareness that ears—whether they can hear or not—are beautiful. I spent two years hiding … Continue reading
Ten Things I Want My Children (And You) to Know
My book, Confessions of a Lip Reading Mom, is dedicated to my husband and our three children. And for good reason. All they have ever known is a mom who must read lips to hear them. A mom who asks for sentence repeats. A mom who answers many a question with, “Huh? What was that?” … Continue reading
Five Ways to Improve Your Lipreading Skills – The Lipreading Mom Way
It’s true. Those of us with hearing loss rely more on our vision and mental processing skills than our auditory function. As a lipreading/speechreading instructor for late-deafened adults, I have researched this subject a great deal. Our brains and eyes require more muscle power than our ears in the communication process. Listening with our ears … Continue reading
What to Do If You Suspect Your Spouse Has Hearing Loss
Every week, I write a column for Deaf-Insight.com called Ask Lipreading Mom. Readers submit questions related to hearing loss or deafness, and I seek out the answers. Then I share the information in my column. This week’s column concerned how to talk to a loved one if you suspect he has hearing loss. Dear Lipreading … Continue reading
Learning to Speak Visually with Cued Speech – An Interview with Aaron Rose
Aaron Rose was born profoundly deaf due to the genetic mutation Connexin 26. At the age of seven, he received a cochlear implant that he wears to this day. In school, Aaron didn’t request any assistive devices or sign language accommodation. “I feel that I do well enough with my implant and have good strategies … Continue reading
Six New Show Me Your Ears Photos You Must See
To celebrate the first birthday of Show Me Your Ears, Lipreading Mom has selected six favorite photos received recently. Did you know you can submit your photo via Facebook, or Twitter? Use the hash tag #ShowMeYourEars when posting your photo, then share it with me on my Facebook or Twitter page. Which one of these … Continue reading
My Life with a Hard of Hearing Mom – Written by Lipreading Mom’s Daughter, Age 9
Life with a hard of hearing mom is not as funny as it looks. I have to tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. She is also a writing mom. My mom has to lip read me, and she can not really talk to me on the highway. I feel sad to see … Continue reading
Meet My Friend, Wendy, Who Is Going Deaf and Blind
A couple of weeks ago, I met for lunch and swimming with my friend, Wendy, and her children. As the two of us watched our kids splash and jump around in a neighborhood pool, Wendy and I chatted about her hearing loss and blindness. I had so many questions to ask her that I couldn’t … Continue reading
Lipreading Mom 