There’s a beautifully written post by Michelle over at the “Say What Club” blog - entitled: “All That A Whisper Is“. Michelle is a mom who has severe hearing loss herself, and talks about how she could not hear whispers from her child. Please go read her post… it’s an inspiring read.
For me, it also gave me a glimpse to the other side. Because along with not hearing the “th, f, s, sh, sp, t, b, etc” silent consonants, it was my son who could not hear my whispers. I wrote this in response to her post:
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great post… thank you for sharing that.It reminded me that when I realized my son couldn’t hear whispers (he was 4 when we found out he had a mild-mod hearing loss)… and it suddenly made sense why when HE whispered something to me, he only moved his lips. He didn’t think you were SUPPOSE to say it out loud.. because, he could not hear us.
When I first realized that… I felt tremendously guilty… both, for not realizing why he only moved his lips… and, because I realized that for 4 years… I was always whispering sweet nothings in his ears… I love you’s… sssshhhhhh sounds when he was crying… and he never heard any of it…
I felt terrible about that… but, was glad that I could finally direct all my sweet nothings to his face… or in a voice he could hear me… and that somehow.. he seemed to have understood that my soundless whispers were full of love the first 4 years in spite of not hearing them…
deb
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When AC first got his HA’s – I told him I wanted to whisper something in his ear – to test them. I whispered “I love you” – as I had done countless times before, unheard. This time, he looked at me…. surprised… annoyed almost.. and said, “Mommy! I could HEAR you!”. He said it, as if he was NOT SUPPOSE to hear me. I had to explain to him (and I’m not sure he believed me) that you WERE suppose to hear whispers.
Now… 7 years later… I know better than to whisper anything to my son – especially when he’s not wearing his HA’s….
but, you know what is really cool?
Now, he can read lips… and I can whisper with no sound to his face… instead of softly in his ear… and even from across a crowded room – he hear’s my “whispers” and no one else can =)
Deb
Filed under: child hearing loss, hearing aids, lip read, silent consonants, whispers | Tagged: Hard of Hearing, hearing loss
