Hi! My name is Amelia, and I'm 10 years old. I live in Seattle with my mom, dad, and my little brother. I'm in 5th grade now, and I love reading, playing soccer, and building things with LEGOs. I also happen to be Hard of Hearing, which means I don't hear as well as most people do. But I didn't always know that about myself. Let me tell you my story.
When School Was Really Hard
When I was in first grade, I thought everyone felt the same way I did at school. I thought everyone got really tired trying to listen to the teacher. I thought everyone had trouble hearing when there was noise in the classroom. I didn't know that other kids could hear things I couldn't.
School was really hard for me back then. I would come home feeling exhausted, like I had run a marathon just from sitting in class. My parents noticed that I was tired all the time. They also noticed that I would turn the TV up really loud, and that sometimes I didn't answer when they called my name from another room.
My teacher, Mrs. Johnson, was the first person to suggest that maybe I should get my hearing checked. She noticed that I always wanted to sit at the front of the class, and that I watched her lips really carefully when she talked. She was really kind about it and talked to my parents after school one day.
Going to the Audiologist
I remember being nervous when my mom told me we were going to see a special doctor for my ears. I was scared there was something wrong with me. But my mom held my hand and told me that we were just going to learn more about how my ears work.
The audiologist was really nice. Her name was Dr. Chen, and she had a room full of cool equipment. She gave me special headphones and asked me to raise my hand whenever I heard a beep. Some beeps were easy to hear, but some were really quiet and I couldn't hear them at all. There were also some beeps that sounded different - some were high like a bird chirping, and some were low like a drum.
After all the tests, Dr. Chen showed my parents a chart called an audiogram. She explained that my hearing was different in each ear, and that I had mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears. That meant I couldn't hear soft sounds, and I had to work extra hard to hear in noisy places.
Getting Hearing Aids
A few weeks later, I got my first pair of hearing aids. I was nervous at first because I didn't know anyone else who wore them. But when I put them in for the first time, something amazing happened. I could hear the clock ticking on the wall! I had never heard that before. I could hear my mom's footsteps when she walked into the room. I could hear birds singing outside the window.
The world suddenly had so many sounds I didn't know existed. It was overwhelming at first. My brain wasn't used to hearing all these things, so I felt really tired for the first few weeks. But slowly, my brain got used to it, and now I don't even notice most of those sounds - just like hearing people don't.
The Challenge of Noise Sensitivity
One thing that surprised me was that even though I have hearing loss, some sounds are actually TOO loud for me. This is called noise sensitivity or hyperacusis. The cafeteria at school can be so loud that it hurts my ears. Fire drills are the worst - even with my hearing aids turned down, the alarm feels like it's exploding in my head.
My audiologist helped me get special noise-canceling headphones for times when sounds get too overwhelming. I keep them in my backpack, and my teacher knows I might need to use them sometimes. They've made a huge difference in helping me stay comfortable at school.
What I've Learned
Being Hard of Hearing isn't always easy, but it's part of who I am. Here are some things I've learned along the way:
- It's okay to ask people to repeat themselves. I used to be embarrassed, but now I know it's important to understand what people are saying.
- Finding other DHH kids is amazing. For a long time, I felt like the only one. Meeting other kids like me made me feel so much better.
- Hearing aids are cool, not weird. I used to hide mine under my hair, but now I have purple ones that I love to show off!
- It's okay to need breaks. Listening is hard work for me, and it's okay to need quiet time to recharge.
- My family and teachers are my team. They help me every day, and I'm so grateful for their support.
Why I Made This Website
When I was first diagnosed, my parents spent so much time trying to find the right doctors, the right schools, and the right support groups. It was really confusing because the information was scattered everywhere. That's why my dad and I decided to make GoMabel - to help other families in Seattle find the resources they need, all in one place.
If you're a DHH kid reading this, I want you to know: you're not alone. There are so many of us out there, and we're all figuring it out together. And if you're a parent or a family member, thank you for looking for ways to help your child. That's really special.
Thanks for reading my story! If you want to share yours, my dad and I would love to hear from you. You can send us a message on our contact page.