Raising Deaf Kids- Hard of hearing, Hearing Loss, Sign Language, ASL, Listening and Spoken Language, Hearing Impaired
Are you tired of spending your precious time after the kids go to bed googling and scrolling Instagram for answers, like “How do I learn sign language?” Do you feel overwhelmed by all of the decisions that you have to constantly make for your child? Do you dream about a day where you can just enjoy your family without worrying about language access or IEP goals? Hey! I’m Alaine Iacobs and I’m so glad we found each other on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast! I remember what it felt like to learn that my child was Deaf for the first time. It felt like the rug got torn out from under my feet and I was falling without a net in sight. It was hard for me to accept that my child was Deaf at first. And then came the overwhelm of all of the decisions that the professionals asked me to make when my baby was just 2 months old. How did I get through those crazy early years of learning new ways of life without completely going insane? By creating solid foundations for my child of communication strategies, academic skills and routines at home along with a rock solid faith in the Lord who guided all of my steps. The podcast will feature tactical ways to build language skills for your child, a no- sweat approach to starting the IEP process, stories from other moms who have been in your shoes, and advice from trusted experts in the field to help you make decisions that are right for your child and your family. Together we are going to build a strong foundation that will support your child and help them thrive! You can be confident that you are making the right decisions for your child and also be able to show up for the rest of your family and yourself. So put down that ASL app and ling 6 toys for now, and let’s get started!
Listen on:
Episodes
Tuesday Aug 13, 2024
Tuesday Aug 13, 2024
Are you dreading the school year a little because handling the IEP team feels like a full time job? Do you have anxiety during the day because you aren’t convinced that your child is getting the accommodations and help that they truly need to thrive in school?
I get it and I’ve been in not great IEP situations with my own kids. While it does depend a little on the team and their willingness to work with you, there are questions that you can ask to make sure you have clarity on exactly how you’re child is going to get help and access to the school curriculum this year.
Today I’m going to share with you 3 questions that I always ask at every IEP meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page and expectations are clearly laid out. Let’s dive in!
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Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
Thursday Aug 08, 2024
School is just around the corner, and you’re already worried about how the year’s going to go with your child.
You’re already dreading the IEP meeting and worried about if you’re child is going to get the right accommodations this year. To top it all off you’re confused about what your child even needs in the classroom!
I know that school is a struggle and worry, but what if I told you that being a part of your child’s education accommodations can actually be a joy and…even fun??
Today I'm guide you through an interactive quiz to help you get clarity on the accommodations that will best help your child in school this year.
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Tuesday Aug 06, 2024
Tuesday Aug 06, 2024
Do you struggle with knowing if you’re making the right decisions or not? Do you look to everyone else for the answers, but still feel as confused as ever?
I’ve definitely been there, and I found that the more I asked and googled the more confused than ever I was about what I should be actually doing with my child and my family.
That’s when I woke up and realized that I needed to build my trust in myself to show up the best for my family. I saw that self trust is truly the cornerstone to taking care of everyone.
So, I rejected everything that was out in the internet about “self trust” and bolstered my own self trust in an unconventional yet impactful way.
What did I do to build my self trust and know that I was making the right choices for my child and family? Listen in to today’s podcast episode and I’ll tell you how I did it!
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Are you learning ASL for your child, but you’re frustrated because the rest of your family isn’t on-board with using ASL? Maybe they prefer to talk to your child, even if speech isn’t accessible to your child’s hearing?
It can be difficult when family members, who we feel like are supposed to be there to support us through this journey, actually seem to make it more difficult for us. So today we’re going to talk about how to involve your extended family in learning ASL and make it something that they want to participate in instead of feeling forced to do so.
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/16Y3e-4efppLJGWm8YzEQ9CM8CCvFk2cL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Tuesday Jul 30, 2024
Going through the evaluation process for speech therapy can be a little deflating! I remember when I was in speech therapy with my boys twice a week every week, and then practicing those speech goals everyday at home.
I was so excited to see how they were mastering each goal and moving onto the next and I was so proud of how hard they were working!
And then came the yearly speech evaluation that took two to three sessions to complete, and at the end of the year they were still no where near closing the gap in speech. That’s when I got a wake up call and realized that closing the gap is overrated and we were working within a system that didn’t allow for our kids to be proudly Deaf. How did I wake up to this realization, and how did I move forward with my kids? Stick around for the episode and I’ll tell you exactly what I did!
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Are you sick of researching all of the language options for your child? Do you have a hard time understanding what all of the options mean, and you can’t seem to pick one? Well, you might not have to pick just one!
Today on the podcast I welcome Amy and Sarah from the organization CueSign. In this episode we talk about cued speech, how it’s different from ASL, and how you can and should actually integrate both for a true total communication approach to language for your child.
If you’re exploring language options and communication modalities for your child right now, Sarah and Amy are here to help you out! This was such an educational and also encouraging conversation to me personally, and I hope it will be encouraging for you as well!
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Essay by Sarah Katz "Is There a Right Way to be Deaf?" ---> https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/opinion/health/is-there-a-right-way-to-be-deaf.html
Connect with Amy and Sarah to find out more about CueSign:
Website --> https://www.cuesign.org/
IG --> https://www.instagram.com/cuesign.inc/
X --> @CueSignInc
Facebook --> https://www.facebook.com/CueSignInc/
TikTok---> @cuesign
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Tuesday Jul 23, 2024
Tuesday Jul 23, 2024
Finding out that your child has hearing loss can be a shock. There are so many emotions that you go through as a parent, and all of them are OK!
It can also be really difficult to know how to move forward after getting that news.
Today we’re going to talk about embracing your child’s “new normal” with hearing loss and what to do next after you get a hearing loss diagnosis. Let’s chat, friend!
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Thursday Jul 18, 2024
Sensory play is essential for your child’s development. Kids naturally use all of their senses to engage in the world around them, and for kids with hearing loss it helps to increase the sensory input of the other senses.
Sensory activities can also strengthen foundational language skills- win win all around! Whether you’re a first-time mom or experienced veteran –we all need some help in the activity department now and then! This episode will get your creative juices flowing and the language talking, or communicating.
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Tuesday Jul 16, 2024
Getting ready for cochlear implant surgery is a big step! You’ve already been through the process of trying out hearing aids, lots of testing and maybe even started speech therapy. And now you’re finally close to surgery day!
While getting the surgery can be an exciting step, it can also be a scary thing to think about. Your child undoubtedly has many questions about what the surgery day will be like.
Today on the podcast we are going to talk about how to have a conversation with your child about cochlear implant surgery in a way that is age- appropriate and empowers them with knowledge so the big day doesn’t feel so scary.
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Want to be a guest on the Raising Deaf Kids podcast? Send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested and I'll get you set up to be one of my guests.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
Thursday Jul 11, 2024
I’m excited to bring you this conversation today with author Valerie James Abbott and her daughters Mary Clare and Bridie.
Bridie was diagnosed with hearing loss at age 3 years old, and today we sit down and chat about living with hearing loss in the house, being a sibling of a person with hearing loss, advocating in school for your child, and we even go into tips that will help parents navigate college services and their adult kids living alone.
These three women are such a fun family and had so much insight to help younger parents like myself navigate the sometimes uncertain waters of hearing loss. I know they are going to be an encouragement to you as well!
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I’m looking for guests for my new season of the Raising Deaf Kids podcast! I'm looking for: professionals in the field, artisans, people from the deaf community, and regular parents just like you and me who want to share their story and help encourage other parents of kids with hearing loss.
If that sounds like fun to you, send me an email at hello@raisingdeafkids.com to let me know that you’re interested.
Connect with other parents in the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/raisingdeafkids
Questions or comments about the show? Contact Alaine at hello@raisingdeafkids.com
Read the transcript for the episode -->
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19mQx_7My57sru8cg429HLDeeNlKJy0MC/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107780401743888028515&rtpof=true&sd=true
Watch the episodes with closed captioning on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc_eBB2dpyVE7LSfpWOmeUw