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
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How I Cope with Depression and Hearing Loss
Lipreading Mom has a confession to make: I live with clinical depression. In fact, severe depression can be traced back at least four generations in my family. This is yet one experience I share in my book, Confessions of a Lipreading Mom. One thing I’ve learned about depression and hearing loss: It can be managed. … 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
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
Learn to Read Lips with Lipreading Mom Virtually
Do you struggle to understand people’s voices? I know. This is a difficult thing to ask, especially considering this is a blog devoted to inspiring and informing you about MY life as a Lipreading Mom. So I will come right out and say it. If I hadn’t learned to read people’s lips, I wouldn’t be … 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
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