need feedback pls. hearing loss

[mamabear0222]

So I wanted to post these separate mainly because my little girl had 2 separate issues.

She has a kidney issue (which I addressed in another thread) but she is also completely deaf in one ear.

This makes hearing through background noise extremely difficult as she can't localize sound.

I'm looking for suggestions from other people with hearing loss how they did with the acoustics and background noise etc

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[elphaba91]

We did Disneyland YEARS ago with my two severely deaf sisters (then aged 5 and 10). They both wore hearing aids, so their situation may be slightly different to yours, but have similar problems with background noise. From memory, I think they were both fine. My younger sister wore her RF unit from school, with my Mum wearing the teacher's part. This meant she could talk to her above the rest of the background noise - and it was also very useful when she wandered off! So, if you've got an RF I'd definitely use it! If you're concerned about the noise bothering her, you could take some earplugs or headphones for her in case it gets really noisy in queues, etc.

 

[buffettgirl]

My husband leaves his hearing aids back at the hotel. The noise is all just too much. And I have to just yell a lot.

I guess, just do whatever you do at home whenever you're in a noisy place. she's only 5, right? She won't be away from you.

 

[mamabear0222]

We did Disneyland YEARS ago with my two severely deaf sisters (then aged 5 and 10). They both wore hearing aids, so their situation may be slightly different to yours, but have similar problems with background noise. From memory, I think they were both fine. My younger sister wore her RF unit from school, with my Mum wearing the teacher's part. This meant she could talk to her above the rest of the background noise - and it was also very useful when she wandered off! So, if you've got an RF I'd definitely use it! If you're concerned about the noise bothering her, you could take some earplugs or headphones for her in case it gets really noisy in queues, etc.

Great suggestions thanks!

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[lanejudy]

There are assistive listening devices available for "loan" at WDW. You put down a deposit ($25?, sounds low) and it's fully refunded when you return the equipment. If your DD uses an FM system at home or school, you might want to use that or try one of the devices available. My DD has mild-to-moderate hearing loss and uses an FM system at school but not at home, so we tried the assistive listening device once at WDW. It was supposed to pick up the sound from certain rides/shows and she wore headphones. Well, it didn't work. Most of the time we just got static, and then when it did work at Carousel of Progress, it wasn't playing the audio for the scene we were watching. So we gave up. DD was fine without it, or at least she didn't complain about not hearing.

My dad wears hearing aids but he definitely prefers to take them out in crowded, loud, busy situations. It's actually harder to filter out the background noise with them than without.

This is a link to WDW's website info about services for hearing disabilities:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/hearing-impaired-services/

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Pluto.AuD]

With a unilateral hearing loss, understanding speech in noise will always be more difficult than in quiet. She should wear a hearing aid if that ear is aidable. If not there's an option called CROS (Contralateral Routing to the Oposite Side) where she would wear 2 hearing aids, one would be a microphone for the side with hearing loss and the other would be a speaker that sends the signal from the other side to her ear with normal hearing without amplifying the sound. A more invasive option would be a BAHA device.

If she doesn't wear a hearing aid, absolutely make use of the assistive devices like FM, both for school and at Disney World. They will make hearing in backround noise a lot easier.

Always talk with your audiologist about your options.

 

[LisaBi]

My son has the same issue. He is "significantly to profoundly" impaired in one ear and has "mild to moderate loss" in the other. He does pretty well in day to day life, as long as he had front row seating in school. Just don't bother yelling for him in a noisy place or from a distance or from behind him. He can't hear if there is noise between him and the sound source, and can't localize sound at all. I found that for most shows at WDW, seating doesn't matter much because the speaker systems are so strong. One possible exception is BATB, and also ETWB. For rides, GMR is one where being up front helps. I would maybe the bird show at AK too....we haven't been to that in so long I can't remember.

I would ask for a GAC...explain the hearing loss and they will get you fixed up. The trick is knowing which shows seating matters for the sound and which shows are actually better in the middle. And for us it is compounded by the fact that DS also uses a wheelchair, so the two seating areas often conflict with each other.