AnonyMouse_390 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 We have a two year old starting with us after half term with a cochlear implant. It is amazing as he was profoundly deaf and mum tells us he has over 30 words (more than a few of our older ones!) He is having taster sessions at the moment. Does anyone have any experience of working with a child with an implant? He has 4 hours a week and we are going to employ his existing 1:1 for this as she has learnt sign language and been with him over the last year. (His nursery is closing) I have had a quick look and found a book called My Brother John about a boy with a cochlear implant. I'm not sure how appropriate it would be for 2 - 4 year olds but feel we need something to explain the disk on his head and wires connecting to his hearing aid. thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Hello I taught a child with a cochlear implant and a double cochlear implant, neither needed any special books to explain as we just said it helped x and Y to hear properly. The main trouble we had was remembering to keep their hoods up in the rain as implants mustn't get wet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_9650 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 We have a little girl with impaired hearing (aids in both ears). Her Teacher for the Deaf came into the setting to explain how different hearing is using aids and gave us some background on hearing loss. she also gave us a book "Deaf Friendly Nurseries and Schools" which has some really useful tips for ensuring that the building acoustics and the way that resources are put out are done so to ensure that noise levels are improved for children wearing aids. Perhaps your child has been assigned a Teacher for the Deaf? The child we have is 3 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 We had a child with a cochlear implant for two years and the progress was brilliant. We chose not to highlight the implant to the other children and it was a decision we did not regret. The other children soon saw the implant and when/if they asked questions we answered them. What we did see was the children very quickly picked up how to replace the implant as they saw us do it. Staff need an induction to the implant/how to test/replace etc but the child's Teacher of the Deaf can do this. Our child did not sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_19920 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 we had a child with hearing aids and a transmitter box and receiver - the children rarely noticed it at first but once they did - we had her hearing aid specialist (who came in once a week to check on her) come in she told the children a wonderful story that she had made up - sorry cant remember how it went -to explain all these things - and after that all the children wanted the aids and box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 The only thing I can add is... a friend has a son who has a cochlear implant and as a teen finds it a great party trick to stick his ear to the fridge.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 No not his ear, his head!! Rachel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonyMouse_390 Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 Thanks for your replies. He's coming again on friday so i'll ask a few more questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I've worked in a school with a child like this before in reception, but it sounds like yours is far further forward than even this reception child was. The main thing I would say is don't bother to 'explain' the cochlear implant to the other children - it's only as adults that we come to see things like this as strange, to a child who sees new things in the world everyday, this is just another 'new thing'. They will probably ask questions, but only in the same way they ask questions about 'what's that man doing with those bricks?' or 'why do you wear glasses?' If you make it a big issue it will suddenly become a big issue and you may find that instead of treating him as an equal the other children start trying to 'look after' him, and lovely as that is he needs to just be one of them rather than something special because of his implant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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