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The "Speaker" Page
Our Story
Hi! I suppose the I should tell you the about how James got "speakers"! For many months I questioned James' speech development. His vocabulary was great, but only family was able to easily understand him. I was put off by our former pediatrician with the explanation "He's a boy, give it time" or "All babies are different". Excuses that I have now learned is given to parents way to often! In March of 1996 at James three year check up with a new pediatrician I asked once again! This doctor took my concerns to heart, and scheduled him for a Hearing and Speech evaluation at our local children's hospital. I really didn't know why they were even checking his hearing. He seemed to hear us fine. Maybe the normal stubbornness of a three year old, but he responded to us and our request. I figured that the hearing evaluation was routine. We'd get it over with then take care of the speech issue. To our surprise on April 29, 1996 James was diagnose with a mild to moderate hearing loss. This was why his speech was not where we thought that it should be. The sounds that he seemed to be missing in his words were the higher pitched sounds, the same sounds that he was unable to hear!
It was suggested that James be fitted with hearing aids. In an effort to explain to him what they were we told him that Mommy & Daddy were going to buy him some "speakers" to help him hear better! He was very excited. He even told his grandparents that he was going to get "speakers".
May 12, 1996 was an exciting day for all of us! It was James' hearing aid fitting! That day a whole new world of sound was opened up to him! "What's that sound?" became a common phrase! We hadn't realized the sounds that he had never heard before! Things like... the mini-blinds, birds singing, jets passing overhead, and the computer modem dialing!
Since he got his "speakers" James has been doing great! We have used "home-based" speech therapy, auditory verbal therapy, and currently the public school speech therapist. It's great now when even people that don't know us understand him! He doesn't have as much frustration now! He used to get terribly upset when he wasn't understood! It's great to watch his progress and help with it! :)
I have put together The "Speaker" Page hoping to help others! I hope that you find useful information here and will come back often! I'd love it if you would sign the guestbook while you're here. Maybe even E-Mail Me if you want! Thanks for Stopping By!
Helpful Links!!
WOW! My links list got to long to share them
all on this page! I've split them up to make browsing simpler!
If you have or know about a site that should be listed
here, please tell me about it!
Sites By & About Kids!
Sites For Kids!
Sites By Parents!
Sites For Parents!
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Christian Ministry Sites!
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This Page Last Updated
06/02/99