Ever since Natalija was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, Loud Shirt Day has become an important part of our family’s lives so every year Natalija and myself, along with her dad Doug and two brothers, help to raise funds and awaressess during Loud Shirt Day to support other children with hearing loss reach their full potential.
Natalija was just four weeks old when she was diagnosed as profoundly deaf, six weeks old when she was fitted with her first hearing aids, and 10 months old when she received her bilateral cochlear implants.
NextSense (a First Voice centre) has been with our family through every step of Natalija’s hearing loss journey, giving the expert support she needs to develop, enjoy childhood, and meet her milestornes.
During her early months of life I’d take Natalija to a NextSense playgroup where she could have her feeds and fall asleep while her brother played with the other children and I talked to the parents about their journey.
This was my support group. My safe place. It was all very new and raw, so sometimes I would just sit there and listen to the other parents and just take it all in. While Natalija napped, I would watch other children with their hearing devices on go about their play time and chat to their friends and parents.
It was very comforting.
Now at eight years old, Natalija is thriving at school and in life. She attends her local primary school, plays in her local basketball team and soccer team, is learning Japanese and karate, and her speech is at the same level as her hearing peers. She self-advocates and raises awareness about hearing loss and cochlear implants whenever she can.
The early intervention program has not only been a vital support for Natalija, but also key in providing our family with the knowledge, skills, and confidence we need to best support her as she grows.
Our therapist provides Natalija support and holds our hand and guides us on how to help further support her at home and in the school environment. The support we receive from our centre is invaluable.
Getting loud for children with hearing loss
A First Voice initiative, Loud Shirt Day is an opportunity to wear your wackiest shirt to celebrate, increase community awareness, and raise funds to ensure children with hearing loss, like Natalija, receive the support they need to reach their full potential.
This year Loud Shirt Day is on Friday 21 October, but you can wear it loud on a day that suits you.
Having a child with hearing loss can be hard, but it can also be an amazing experience. You celebrate the small milestones more because your child will surprise you every day.
This is why we celebrate Loud Shirt Day. To raise awareness about hearing loss in children and the devices they wear and to celebrate their achievements and milestones.
My husband is going to have a Loud Shirt Day morning tea at his work, our daughter’s primary school will be wearing it loud on the day for a donation, I’ll be having a morning breakfast at an event on the day, and I’m also organising a high tea with friends and family on the Thursday prior to the day.
There are 12,000 children across Australia living with hearing loss that benefit from early diagnosis and early intervention.
The newborn hearing screening is a vital program implemented across Australia to ensure the establishment, maintenance and evaluation of high quality screening programs for the early detection of permanent childhood hearing impairment throughout Australia.
Loud Shirt Day is a national campaign run by charities across Australia who are members of First Voice. First Voice is the regional voice for member organisations that provide listening and spoken language early intervention services for children with hearing loss.
You can support children with hearing loss and celebrate their achievements by registering for Loud Shirt Day today!
Did you know?
Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities at birth, affecting more than 1 in 1,000 babies born each year. Accounting for later acquired hearing loss, permanent childhood hearing loss affects more than 3 in every 1,000 Australian children by age 5. 92% of children with permanent hearing loss are born to hearing parents. More than 90% of children born with hearing loss have the potential to receive listening benefit from hearing devices, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
To maximise listening and spoken language development, children with hearing loss require amplification – through hearing devices – and specialised listening and spoken language early intervention. Early diagnosis of hearing loss and access to sound are integral to successful speech and language development.
If you have a concern about your hearing loss, please contact a First Voice centre closest to you.
- Hear and Say
- Telethon Speech & Hearing
- The Shepherd Centre
- NextSense (formerly RIDBC/Taralye)
- Can:Do 4Kids, Townsend House