HIGH HOPES FOR 2009

Our new Care for the Carers beneficiary for 2009 works to ensure babies and children with hearing loss have every chance to develop their full potential

For a child who can hear, language is all around: in the soft lilt of her mother’s lullaby, in the hoot of her father’s car as he arrives home from work, in the rain on a tin roof or rustle of long savannah grass blowing in a summer breeze.

Every sound adds knowledge of experience to the child’s life and plays a vital role in language development. Children who miss out on sound, especially speech, stand to have language delays throughout their lives if they’re not diagnosed and receive appropriate intervention at an early age.

Those language delays often result in secondary delays, such as in social development, literacy and self-esteem. Hearing-impaired children who receive appropriate early intervention show significantly improved language levels compared to those who don’t.

Research shows intervention before the age of six months means a child need not be behind in his language skills by age five — he can develop as normally as his hearing peers. “It’s not that we’re fixing a delay, we seem to be preventing it from ever occurring,” says Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, the lead researcher and child development expert.

The first three years of life are essential for language development, as well as other types of development such as emotional, cognitive and social. Early diagnosis and intervention, parental guidance and participation, and an ongoing support system are of the utmost importance.

But not every South African family has access to these essential services. This is where Hi Hopes (Home Intervention Hearing and Language Opportunities Parent Education Services) comes in. With the dual concerns of health and literacy, it was a natural choice for our C4C campaign.

This non-profit organisation relies on volunteers and donations to provide a free service to families who have deaf or hard-of-hearing children. Hi Hopes is based in Gauteng and is staffed by 100 dedicated, caring professionals around the country.

Hi Hopes carers are all trained educators who work on a voluntary basis — only receiving a small stipend to cover their travel and minor expenses. A Parent Advisor travels to the family’s home each week, offering support by giving them access to information and answering any questions they may have.

Additionally, some families’ support networks include a Deaf Mentor, a deaf adult who can help the family understand what it is like to be deaf. This is so important as 94 percent of children with hearing loss are born to hearing families. “Most have never met a person with hearing loss, and so don’t know how to begin to connect with their child,” says the programme’s founder and director, Dr Claudine Storbeck.

With this service, Hi Hopes empowers parents to make choices that are appro-priate for them and their children, and support them every step of the way.

WHAT IS HI HOPES?
▶ An early intervention programme partnering with families with deaf or hard of hearing children from birth to three years.
▶ Hi Hopes provides free support and education through weekly home visits.
▶ Hi Hopes doesn’t advocate only one language method, but supports good
communication and skills within the family.
▶ For information, contact Hi Hopes at the Centre for Deaf Studies at: 071-384-1285 or email: claudine.storbeck@gmail.com

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
Help us show our appreciation for the dedicated carers of Hi Hopes. You can:

▶ Send us goodies and treats of any sort to pamper the Parent Advisors, Deaf Mentors, and administrators of Hi Hopes. They never treat themselves, so any spoiling will be tremendously appreciated.

▶ Contribute items on their wish list including grocery vouchers, cellphone airtime vouchers, stationery, teaching materials, clothing and more. Call Heidi Lesch on: 021-408-3925 or email her at: hlesch@touchline.co.za for our CT or Jhb address details.

▶ Make a cash donation to further the work of Hi Hopes into the dedicated bank account (all donations are tax exempt): Nedbank; account name: Shape — Care for the Carers; account no: 1452041377; branch code: 145205.

▶ Become an ambassador for Hi Hopes and the Centre for Deaf Studies: Call or email and Hi Hopes will send you pamphlets, flyers or posters to put up anywhere you like (your local shopping centre, your paediatrician’s rooms, a nearby baby clinic and crèches are good places to start).

▶ Volunteer to be a Parent Advisor. You’ll receive training, which will equip you to serve your community. Some experience working with people and a background in education, speech therapy or audiology would be ideal.

▶ Tell a friend. Share what you know about Hi Hopes, spreading the word means Hi Hopes can spread their services to help more and more children.

▶ Test your baby: Make an appointment today, the earlier the better!