The teen years can be challenging for families even when hearing loss isn’t a factor.
Looking for strategies to help your child with hearing loss live confidently through their teenage years? We asked teens, parents and a peer support group manager to share their tips for navigating this challenging life stage.
1. Don’t pressure for information
You might want to encourage your teenage child to talk to you about what’s going on in their life, but be understanding and know they might not want to talk to Mom or Dad. That’s not a bad thing; kids need to work out for themselves when they need to ask for help.
Expert tip
“Let them learn that failure is part of life, and it’s about perseverance. Reconsider the metrics of success – it’s not about being CEO or a celebrity or a top athlete; it’s about life, what they choose to do and how to develop the skills to be good at what they’ve chosen to do.” – John Lui, national manager for Hear For You, an Australian organization that helps teenagers with hearing loss connect with deaf mentors.
2. Help your teen find a connection with the right teacher
Telling a teacher about social struggles at school can be scary and overwhelming, but it’s important for young people to reach out and find people who can offer support.
If your child is struggling with how to approach a teacher, role playing at home can help. Plan out how to talk to the teacher – break it down step by step.
A teen’s tip
“I didn’t want a support teacher early in high school – I didn’t like feeling different. But by 10th grade, I asked for the support.”
3. Help your teen find peer support
Being a teenager can be tough, but when your child feels different because of hearing loss, it’s important they get support from others just like them.
Expert tip
It’s important for teenagers to hear from people who have lived through similar experiences and understand exactly what they’re going through, rather than from well-meaning parents, teachers and audiologists.
“When the teens hear it from their peers, it’s much more powerful. For example, one teen may not want to use any assistive technologies in the classroom because it marks them as different from a social perspective. If they hear from a peer who does use assistive technology because they want to do well in the class, it can be a paradigm changer to hear it from someone their age and in a similar situation, rather than an older person.” – John Lui
It’s important that teenagers feel like they have some control over their hearing loss and how they approach challenges.
A parent’s tip
“Life can be tricky for all teenagers and as parents we try to help them navigate these years, but ultimately kids have to do it themselves. We’ve always tried to listen to our daughter – to hear her ideas and stories and discuss concerns and ways to stay positive. Encourage them to get up and have a go – nurture the desire to try, and their built-in resilience.” – Rachael, mom of Cochlear recipient Isy
Click herefor additional resources for teens.
