The H-o-l-i-d-a-y season is upon us, which means festive music, family gatherings and special traditions. All the noise and excitement may cause communication difficulties for children who are deaf and hard of hearing.
Comment and let me know if you try these seven H-O-L-I-D-A-Y tips!
7 tips to make the holidays special for children with hearing loss
To make the holidays even more enjoyable and special for adults and children with hearing loss, try these seven HOLIDAY tips!
Holidays are about listening to joyous music, lively conversations and spending time with family and friends. Encourage your child to be the Holiday Host and greet visitors and take their coats. This will boost your child’s confidence while giving him a chance to talk face to face in a quiet setting. Role-play upcoming holiday situations and practice good listening strategies. Create a secret a signal so your child can notify you when he is having a difficult time hearing. Keep the holiday music off or at a low volume, as your child is likely not the only one bothered by clatter and background music.
Organize an email and send it your family and friends before you gather for the holidays. Write a quick update about your child’s listening and spoken language progress and his hearing technology. Dealing with this before the holidays will allow you to spend time celebrating rather than answering questions of well-meaning friends and family.
Large family dinners are noisy so plan accordingly. One suggestion is ensuring your child knows the topic of the conversation. Consider using “conversation starter cards” around the table which are always fun. Also, have someone special seated next to your child who can repeat a joke or summarize a story if your child mishears.