Letter from the Director
Life has been turned upside down these past two months – and before you know it the school year will be starting again. Although most of us don’t have the details of how school will be conducted yet, we can all be certain that it will not be the traditional model that we have come to rely upon. Students are likely to have reduced in-person instruction and interactions, with on-line activities filling some of the void. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing will need additional support. In this edition we present information that may be helpful for your children as we navigate the coming school year.
The Seattle Children’s Childhood Communication Center encourages you to wash your hands frequently, wear masks and comply with the social distancing recommendations. We will get through this pandemic faster if we all work together!
Kathy Sie, MD
Director, Childhood Communication Center
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How You Can Support Your Child with Hearing Loss during COVID-19
With all of the stress and uncertainty that COVID-19 has introduced into our lives, it can be easy to overlook the specific challenges it presents for your child with hearing loss. In addition to the social isolation many kids are experiencing due to school closures, hearing and communicating through a computer or behind a mask can be particularly frustrating for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Here are some ways you can support your child and his or her communication needs during COVID-19:
Clear Masks
Even if you have typical hearing, you may have noticed that you have more difficulty understanding others since the introduction of masks. Most of us don’t realize how much we rely on speechreading to communicate. For those with hearing loss who rely on listening and spoken language, the inability to speechread due to masks presents a huge barrier to communication. One way you can make communication easier for your child is to purchase or make a mask with a clear window. Enabling your child to see your mouth gives them the visual cues they often rely on to fill in the gaps they may miss from hearing alone. Consider utilizing clear masks for anyone your child regularly comes in contact with, including siblings, caregivers, teachers, and even friends.
Masks and Hearing Devices
Depending on the type of hearing device your child wears, masks may introduce one more “thing” to hang on the ear and can cause discomfort. Consider a mask with ties in the back or a mask extender if your child expresses discomfort with his or her mask. These items are available on sites like Etsy and can also be found here. Special care should also be taken when removing the mask to prevent your child’s hearing aid from being removed along with the mask.
Communication Strategies
When the point of wearing a mask is to prevent particles from being dispersed when a person speaks or breathes, it makes sense that masks also cause dampening and distortion of speech. In a recent article in the Hearing Review, researchers found that simple masks (like those found in a clinic) can reduce the volume of speech by 3-4 decibels while N95 masks can reduce the volume (primarily of consonant sounds) by up to 12 decibels. Put simply, this can result in speech sounding about half as loud as it would without a mask. To help counter this effect:
- Slow down your speech
- Speak slightly louder than you normally would
- As always, look at your child when speaking with him/her
- Minimize background noise
Although not tested in this study, masks with clear windows will likely have the same effect. Check out this video for more tips on communication strategies while wearing a mask (note: please consult your child’s audiologist if you think your child requires an updated hearing test).
Remote Microphones
Consider using a remote microphone that you might have received with your child’s hearing device (some examples are: Phonak ComPilot, Oticon Connect Clip, Cochlear Mini-Microphone). Although the sound from these devices will still be slightly dampened by a mask, the overall speech signal of your voice in a busy environment like a crowded restaurant or shopping at the grocery store will be louder and easier to hear. Remote microphones can also be connected to laptops or tablets to allow audio to stream directly to your child’s personal hearing devices. Contact your child’s audiologist if you have questions about what device might work best for your child.
Captioning
Whenever possible, enable closed captioning on TVs, computers or tablets. Google Meet allows users to enable closed captions in real time for video meetings on computers, iPhones or Android.
Check in
Talk to your child about how he or she is feeling. Feelings of isolation or fear of being different are common stressors for people with hearing loss. As Susan Lacke shares in a recent NBC opinion article, “For the 466 million deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals worldwide who learned to accommodate a world designed around the hearing, the goal posts we were used to reaching have now moved. Accessibility has become even more of an afterthought than before; people like me are being shut out.” Lacke also points out that she is often mistaken for being rude or unfriendly when she doesn’t hear conversation at the grocery store or a neighbor saying hello. Your child may not even realize how much harder he or she is working to communicate on a daily basis. Simply allowing time and space to express these feelings with loved ones can help your child feel heard and validated.
Have patience
Life in the age of COVID-19 has been a lesson in patience for all of us. Do not forget to have patience for your child with hearing loss as well. As frustrating as it can be to not be understood, it is so much more difficult to not understand what others are saying on daily basis. By being aware of these challenges and advocating for your child’s needs with patience and grace, we will all get through this time together.
References:
Childress, T. & McNally, C. (2020, June). Knowledge Base: Strategies for deaf and hard of hearing communication [blog post]. Retrieved from http://connect-hear.com/
Childress, T. & McNally, C. (2020, June). Mask accessories for comfort around HA/Cis. Knowledge Base: Strategies for deaf and hard of hearing communication [blog post]. Retrieved from http://connect-hear.com/
Golden, A., Weinstein, B., Shiman, N. (2020, May). How do masks degrade speech perception? The Hearing Review 27(5), 8-9. https://www.hearingreview.com/hearing-loss/health-wellness/how-do-medical-masks-degrade-speech-reception
Google Meet Help (2020). Retrieved from https://support.google.com/meet/answer/9300310?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&oco=1
Lacke, Susan. (2020, May 16). Keeping people safe from Covid-19 limits deaf people’s access. It doesn’t have to this way. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/keeping-people-safe-covid-19-limits-deaf-people-s-access-ncna1207371
[Starkey Hearing] (2020, April 17). The impact of face masks on those with hearing loss [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY_GMC2ro8w
Whitney Kidd, AuD, CCC-A
Outreach Audiologist
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Resources to Support Families
These are challenging times and almost everything about our daily lives looks different. Seattle Children's offers videos on a variety of topics to support mental wellness and family life during COVID-19.
For example, in a Facebook Live series, School in the Time of COVID, panelists discuss school-to-home partnership, student rights in education, and strategies for keeping kids engaged in at-home learning.
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Summer Virtual Support Group for Students who are DHH
Seattle Children’s Hospital is offering a Virtual Support Group Program for students in middle and high school who are deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) and who use sign language as one of their communication modes. Sessions begin July 9, 2020.
High School
This group will meet together to discuss what community skills they are to work on (i.e.advocacy, problem solving, communication), practice social skills, and meet with different DHH employees to learn about career opportunities. Participants have the opportunity to participate in work readiness, discuss their personal and common experiences, receive support and practice skills in a safe environment.
Middle School
This group will meet together to practice social, communication and problem solving skills. The group will also include presentations by DHH guest speakers. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their personal and common experiences, receive support and practice skills in a safe environment.
Where: Sessions will be held via Zoom.
When: Thursdays from July 9-August 27, 2020.
Cost: FREE!
To register, email Julia Petersen or call 206-257-7199 (Voice/videophone; English/Spanish).
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DHH Summer Telehealth Program
WHO: Deaf and hard of hearing children aged 5 through 12 who use sign language for communication (either ASL or SEE)
WHAT: A fun therapeutic online summer program offered through Zoom. The program will focus on coping skill development, communication, social skills, and problem solving skills. Participants will engage in recreational activities such Legos, art, dancing, and interactive games. The program will also offer exposure to Deaf/Hard of Hearing role models, and much more.
WHERE: In the comfort of your own home through Zoom. Each week will consist of a special topic/guest presenter and materials needed to engage/participate in activities.
WHEN: Tuesdays and Thursdays once a week for 8 weeks; July 14th and 16th through August 25th and 27th. These will be 60-90 min Zoom sessions divided in small groups (3-6 children per session) with two signing staff and an interpreter.
COST: The therapeutic part of the program will be charged to insurance under group therapy code (90853) with a cost of $85.00 each session. Once you contact us, we will review your child’s insurance coverage to see if group therapy is covered. If group therapy is not covered, families are recommended to apply for Seattle Children’s Hospital financial aid. Recreational activities are covered through a special grant funded by RE/MAX.
Additional Information: Based on the number and age/communication level of participants, parents/guardians will be informed of the weekly zoom time and date established for your child. Links will be sent via email in advance.
To request an application for your child to participate in the program, please call 206-987-4450 or e-mail Yanni Raptis For specific program information, please e-mail Regina McGinnis, MA. or call at 206-438-3418.
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