Lipreading Mom’s Note: When I think of an inspiring role model for all of us lipreading moms and dads, I think of Denise Portis. This mom of two not only thrives with a profound hearing loss, but she lives with the balance-affective condition Meniere’s Disease. The first thing I noticed about Denise was her sense … Continue reading
Can You Lip Read the Lorax?
I have often wondered how generations before closed captioning survived animated movies. My memory goes back to the first cartoon I ever saw in a theater. Actually, “Pete’s Dragon” was part animated, part live action. There I was at the age of three with my daddy and big sister, watching a smiling green dragon breathe … Continue reading
Lipreading Mom is No Match for the Little Debater
“Mom, why do I have to take a bath?” My four-year-old son asked this question for the fourth time. It had become a nightly ritual of explaining how the shampoo made his hair clean and how the bubble bath kept his body from being dirty. “You don’t want to go to preschool smelling stinky, do … Continue reading
Raising an Autistic Child When You Have Hearing Loss – By Kate Johnston
Lipreading Mom’s Note: When I asked Kate Johnston to write this guest blog post, I had little idea of the parenting challenges she experiences daily. Reading her story for the first time gave me goosebumps. Kate is not only a mom with hearing loss raising a child with autism. She is an inspiring example of … Continue reading
Do You Know Someone Who Needs Hearing Aids But Refuses to Get Them?
Have you or someone you know put off a hearing screening because you’re worried about what the results could be? I’ll admit “yes” to that question…for myself. It’s challenging enough having a hearing loss without being reminded of it when I step into an audiologist’s office. The idea of sitting in a sound-proof booth, putting … Continue reading
Can a Baby Learn Sign Language?
When my daughter was eight months old, we took a baby sign language class. Most of the kids there were several months older, but I was insistent that my pint-size girl learn the language early. There’s nothing quite like being a mom who can’t hear her own child clearly. When she cooed and babbled, I … Continue reading
What is Meniere’s Disease? An Insider’s Perspective
I met DJ Evans online several months ago through our shared interest in hearing loss awareness and advocacy. Like me, she is a mom with hearing loss. Unlike me, she also lives with Meniere’s Disease. Those of us who don’t live with Meniere’s likely have a vague idea of what it is. Before interviewing DJ, I thought … Continue reading
It Was One of Those Days
(Lipreading Mom’s Note: I wrote this story when my oldest son was 4 and my daughter was a baby. Neither one of them is in diapers anymore. My, how time flies…) Maybe it was the sun shining just a little too brightly in my eyes while I tried to sleep in. Or perhaps … Continue reading
Lips at My Pillow – by Gael Hannan
Lipreading Mom’s Note: I first heard of writer, actor, and public speaker Gael Hannan when she spoke at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) convention a couple of years ago. Many who attended said that Gael’s presentation was their favorite—witty, wise, and fun. Next month, she will present via Skype to my local HLAA chapter. … Continue reading
How Humor Can Heal Hearing Loss…Oh, Yes It Can
Okay, I use the term “heal” metaphorically. But for the past eight years of that rollercoaster ride known as hearing loss, I’ve found laughter to be the most effective remedy for coping with the inevitable. “So I’m going deaf,” I say with a slight chuckle to my family and friends. “What’s new with YOU?” For … Continue reading
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