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My son is a couple of weeks shy of 12 years old. He was born with a profound hearing loss, that was not truly discovered until he was about 3 years old. "He's a late bloomer," "Every child is different." I heard all the sayings from professionals, family and those who meet well, but had no clue. My son's main source of communication is ASL; however I am a big proponent of total communication. His teachers and therapist sign and voice at all times. He was implanted with a cochlear about 4 years ago, and while every child responds differently, we have not seen the improvement we would like to have seen at this point. He goes to weekly therapy, a school integrated with hearing and hearing impaired students (he makes the B honor roll by the way)and thrives in social situations. This year we decided to let him play in an organized sport - basketball and he's having a blast! As a special needs parent I encourage you to never give up. The road gets tough and sometimes frustrating, but your child is depending on you. Go to the school meetings, meet his teachers, learn total communication techniques and actively participate in setting the IEP goals. You got what it takes. Special children have special parents.

Learn more about this author, Lynette Welch.
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