I've been having the kids do some journal writing for homeschool. I don't correct their "GPS" (grammar, punctuation, spelling) - I just want them to WRITE. I'm always looking for topics, or "prompts" in the educational lingo, that will interest them. When I found the question, "What sounds do you hear as you fall asleep at night?", my mind automatically went to comforting sounds... rain falling on the roof, frogs or crickets, the wind blowing, etc.But, of course, that's an adult thinking...
Three boys, who share a bedroom, think differently. As I suggested the topic, they immediately made two categories - what they WANT to hear, and what they DON'T want to hear.
And for Tate, it's a whole different thing. I asked him to write about what he would LIKE to hear, as he went to bed and waited to fall asleep.
I'd forgotten the Tinnitus.
Here's what he wrote:
Thes are some sawnds I here befor I Go to sleep.
eeeeee aeee
meeerrrvrvr
arrrbe reeeeee
I wode rather here my mind and Nothing Els !!!
6 comments:
Tate (pardon the pun) but I HEAR YA!
I'll have to ask Henry what he hears when he goes to sleep. I've often wondered what it is like for him, but since he's only four, never asked. On some levels I think I'm worried that it will sadden me. But then that is coming from me, a hearing person. Heck, nights like last night I WISH I could turn my ears off, so that I couldn't hear the snoring husband, or the coughing child or the crying baby! Yes, all three in one night...I'm going to be tired today!
Ugh- the tinnitus must be quite annoying! I wonder if most kids with hearing loss experience it, and don't have the words to express it....
I'm no expert, but I'm told the tinnitus is pretty common.
Tate really began to notice it when he abruptly lost the hearing he used to have in his left ear. The tinnitus may come and go, because not too many months ago he was being bothered by it and associated it with losing the hearing. He was afraid he was losing the hearing in his "good" ear!
The Oto. was able to reassure him that the tinnitus if very NORMAL and not a sign that he is losing more hearing. Now it is just annoying, not frightening to him.
I suppose for some (many?) it's just reality, so they don't question it.
The funny thing was that the Oto. (a very intelligent woman!) suggested using 'white noise' to mask the tinnitus. Ummm, do you realize how LOUD the 'white noise' would have to BE???
That wasn't a practical help!
"I wode rather here my mind and Nothing Els !!!"
As an English teacher, I find this very poetic. He is obviously a deep thinker and intellectual. Perhaps if more of us couldn't hear so well, we would be more aware of what's in our own minds. Can I use this as fodder for my blog?
Tina Marie,
You're probably right... Tate has moments of thoughtfulness, between all the clamor of being a boy!
Have at it :0)
Julie
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