If you have a child with hearing loss who is about to head off to summer camp, you want to make sure both they and you feel properly prepared. Let’s take a look at steps you can take both before and during camp to help enhance your child’s summer fun!
Summer Camp Tips For Children With Hearing Loss
- Research camps beforehand. Researching summer camp options gives you the opportunity to reach out to those establishments and talk to them beforehand about whether or not they are able to accommodate your child’s hearing needs.
- Share your child’s hearing issues with the staff. Once you’ve decided on a camp, make sure to speak with any staff your child will regularly be interacting with so that they know how to best communicate with your child. It’s also helpful to make sure there is at least one designated staff member who knows things like how to care for and operate your child’s hearing aids in case there is an issue.
- Schedule a checkup with your child’s hearing specialist. Before the start of camp, have a checkup to make sure your child’s hearing aids or other assistive listening devices are working well. This can give their hearing specialist the time to make any needed adjustments that can help your child hear better at camp.
- Pack hearing accessories. Make sure your child has their hearing aids, extra batteries, a waterproof case for storage and any additional items they need to clean or care for their device. You may also want hearing aid sleeves or clips to help protect their device from damage when they’re running around and playing with their fellow campers at East Beach.
- Encourage your child to talk about hearing loss. Research tells us that about two to three out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. While it’s not an uncommon condition, they may be the only child at their camp who wears hearing aids. By helping your child feel comfortable talking about their hearing loss, it can be empowering for them and a learning experience for others at camp.
Concerned About Your Child’s Hearing?
While most cases of pediatric hearing loss are diagnosed during universal newborn screenings, sometimes symptoms don’t develop until your child is a bit older. If you have concerns about their hearing development, call Hearing Services of Santa Barbara to schedule an appointment for your child to have a hearing test.
