We play this game at least once a week. He's my first kid, so all the developmental stuff that the been-there/done that Mama's handle aren't necessarily second-nature to me yet. I usually defer to one of my best friends who has 4 kids and seriously has seen it ALL. She usually commiserates with me, wine glass in hand, reassuring me that it IS completely normal for an almost 4 year old to throw himself on the ground when I deny him an episode of Yo Gabba Gabba, and it's NOT because he can't hear me say so.
Then there are the times when I don't think it's an "age" thing. He leaves me guessing, and wondering if maybe he really is frustrated and acting out because he can't hear everything. Is he really asking me "What?" because he REALLY can't hear me, or is it because he's just almost 4 and too busy daydreaming of Spiderman and Batman? Is that little lisp that we sometimes hear just leftover baby stuff, or is it because he's a deaf kid? I just don't know. The thing about Christian is that while he is profoundly deaf, we rarely can place blame on his hearing loss affecting ANYTHING in his life. Most days his actual hearing loss is a non-issue (AND HOW AMAZING IS THAT?!). He has no language delays, he's doing great in school, and socially he is my superstar.
Once he starts school in 2.5 weeks, we'll get another audiogram done and have all his equipment double checked. I don't think we are having any issues, but it is one more thing that I can cross of my list. The testing will give me a window into where he is, although I'm pretty sure not much has changed. Then I can really just chalk all of this up to him being my sweet, sassy, silly and absolutely crazy TYPICAL almost 4 year old.
4 comments:
We find ourselves confronting the "age or hearing loss" question from time-to-time. Even though we have one older child with no hearing loss, we still sometimes question behavior, etc! Most of the time (for Nolan), it's just the age. There are some situations (background noise, etc) where we aren't so sure, or even KNOW that his hearing is causing an issue (he has a pretty terrible aided audiogram)- but this behavior is usually not "difficult" behavior (just very shy and reclusive, or huddling on the floor).
Most of the time, though, it's just the typical 2-3 year old behavior. And I LOVE that it is just "typical" three year old stuff!
I vote for typical almost four year old. Four was the hardest year by far for my now almost six year old daughter!
My son with hearing loss is now 14 and his little (normal hearing) brother is 5 and doing many of the exasperating, aggravating, and often hilarious things that his big brother did - it makes me think that it is just our good fortune/or our lousy parenting/or God laughing at us!
Hang in there and keep smiling,
Efrat Schorr
First, I can't believe you said, "almost FOUR year old!" WOW! Where does time go? It seems like just yesterday I was on the phone with you planning my trip to MD!
Second, I get so frustrated with all the confusion too, is it Aiden's hearing loss and lack of understanding or is he the one, out of all three of my kids, that is going to be my terror? I chalk it up to a little of both, but mainly to the fact that he's "almost THREE!" (wow, did I just say that?) and it's just his outgoing, strong minded, personality. They're lucky they're so dang cute! lol
Miss you tons!
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