Five years ago this month, my first book debuted. A book tour followed, with stops in Nashville, Tennessee; Kansas City; Oklahoma City; and the small town that inspired the book—Chickasha, Oklahoma. Lip Reader is a work of fiction, but the story has some true elements. The main character, Sapphie, is a reflection of me as … Continue reading
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Is A Cure for Hearing Loss Possible? An Interview with the Hearing Health Foundation
When the Hearing Health Foundation approached Lipreading Mom about doing a story about curing hearing loss, I admit I was skeptical. Is a cure really possible? And if it is, would it benefit those who have embraced their deafness? I have many friends who haven’t been able to hear all their lives, and they lead … Continue reading
One Thing I Would Have Changed About School
Even though my hearing loss wasn’t diagnosed until I was 27, I remember having difficulty hearing as a child. In grade school, I struggled to hear lessons via headphones. When an audiologist tested my hearing, he told my parents I had normal hearing but had trouble paying attention. A second opinion was not sought. I … Continue reading
Deaf Awareness Week – 10 People Stand Against Bullying
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
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
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
Hop in Your Car and Come to Open Captioned Drive-In Movie with Lipreading Mom
Will you come along on an exciting trip with Lipreading Mom in a history-making event? Tonight, I head to the first-ever open captioned drive-in movie shown in the good ol’ town of Kansas City. The featured film: Monsters University. And I won’t be alone—dozens of deaf and hard of hearing residents and their families will … Continue reading
How to Embrace Music With a Hearing Loss: An Interview with Pianist Nancy M. Williams
Growing up, Lipreading Mom loved to play the clarinet. For years, I practiced long and hard to be the best clarinetist in all the world…or at least at Pauline G. Hughes Junior High. I was no Benny Goodman, but I did make All-District band my sophomore year of high school. That’s not such a bad … Continue reading
Five Show Me Your Ears Photos You Must See
As you know, some people come into your life who make a lasting impact on you. My friend, Joy, is that person to me. We met at a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group, both of us pregnant with our little boys at the same time. Now she is the mom of three young sons. She … Continue reading
The Ultimate Bullying Target: Deaf in Prison
David Greenberg was the film editor for the Stop Hearing Loss Bullying Video. He also created one of the most compelling blogs Lipreading Mom has ever read—Deaf In Prison. It follows the stories of various inmates—deaf, culturally Deaf, or hard of hearing—serving time in American prisons. The link between bullying, crime, and imprisonment is at … Continue reading
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