By Stephanie Pazicni Karfelt / LipreadingMom.com Guest Blogger Amusement parks. Carnival rides. Roller coasters. Are you a fan? House of mirrors. Swinging bridges. Optical illusions. Are you in? I’ve been trapped here for over a decade now, in my own personal Fun House. My universe is the world of chronic vertigo. We all have our … Continue reading
Why Bother Blogging? Answer My Five Questions
When I reluctantly launched my first blog in 2008, I had one objective: to publish a book. I set up a private blog, invited 100 people to follow it, and posted a chapter a week. Readers posted comments on what they liked and how to improve the book. I even landed an editor. Six months … Continue reading
How to Teach Sign Language to Children – An Instructor’s Perspective
Dawn Alexander and I attended college together back in the 1990s. What I remember most about her were her hands—she often communicated with them. As an American Sign Language (ASL) instructor, Dawn has learned what works best in teaching this visual form of communication. Let her words and her signing fingers inspire you. Lipreading Mom: … Continue reading
Help! I Can’t Understand this Guy’s Mumbling
My new column, “Can You Help?”, allows LipreadingMom.com followers to share and answer questions with each other. This week’s question comes from a friend who can’t understand what the heck her daughter’s boyfriend is saying. Can you help? Dear Lipreading Mom, My daughter is dating a guy that has some type of social anxiety disorder. … Continue reading
How Hearing Loss Made Me More Compassionate – By Elise Bateman
Lipreading Mom Note: Going to college can be stressful, so imagine heading there with a new hearing loss. Elise Bateman was that student. Her story of grieving the loss of her hearing ends on a happy note. Through grief, she found the ability to help others. Elise’s Story Four and a half years ago, I … Continue reading
Help! My Hearing Loss Makes Me Feel Alone
Today’s question comes from a follower of this blog: “Although I’ve had hearing loss for the past five or so years, it seems like the last couple of weeks I have really noticed more loss. I wear hearing aids and am attempting to get my classroom looped to help me hear my students. I’m trying … Continue reading
Can You Come Up with Another Label for Hard of Hearing? – By Michelle Rooney
Hard of Hearing. Moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing impaired. They’re all the same. They all describe me. They all simply mean that my ears don’t function as intended. This doesn’t mean that I can’t think. This doesn’t mean that I’m stupid. This doesn’t mean that I should not, or cannot lead a normal productive … Continue reading
I Need Captioning Supporters—Will You Join Me?
I was about to give up using Twitter. Honestly, I tend to be more of a Facebook girl. But this week when actress Marlee Matlin (who is deaf) proposed a Twitter campaign to make others aware about captioning, I was all over it. All you have to do is visit my page, the Lipreading Mom … Continue reading
Help! I’m Babysitting and Can’t Hear the Kids
One of my Facebook followers asked: “I have hearing loss and sometimes watch other people’s children. What tips do you have for understanding their voices?” My suggestion: When I have young children over for a playdate, I sometimes show them my hearing aids and point out that my ears are “broken.” I also show them … Continue reading
What Advice Would You Give to Your High School Self?
“Carpe diem! Take your dreams and run with them.” -my words from 1992 The Latin phrase carpe diem (“seize the day”) is advice more than one high school graduate has heard. As a teen accepting my diploma 20 years ago, seizing the day meant moving off my parents’ 80-acre farm and heading for the California … Continue reading
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