Children socialising when having a hearing loss
Socialising is important for everyone. We develop social skills and build relationships with others, and we begin to socialise and learn social skills early on in our lives.
Children socialising watch and imitate the actions of their parents, family and friends, and when they get older they make social contacts by playing with other children.
Children suffering from hearing loss adopt social behaviour almost like other children, but a child's ability to develop social skills depends on his or her degree of hearing loss, age, time of diagnosis, treatment and personality. This can also affect the social behaviour of the hearing-impaired child.
All parents worry about how to raise their children. If you are the parent of a child who is suffering from hearing loss, it may be even more difficult. But in most cases, parents of a hearing-impaired child can expect the same of their child as they would expect of a child of the same age who is not suffering from hearing loss.
Parents of a hearing-impaired child may find it hard to keep the proper balance between protection and expectations, and some parents of hearing-impaired children have a tendency to overprotect their children.
As a rule of thumb, you can say, "expect more and protect less". It is very important to prepare a hearing-impaired child for the real world by setting a good example and making fair demands. Hearing-impaired children have to become strong, independent and self-reliant adults so they can live a life as normal as possible - even while suffering from a physical impairment - and hearing-impaired children can take part in most of the same activities as their normal-hearing peers. But consider your child's physical and mental capabilities when deciding how much to expect.
Taking part of the daily routines is important for your child as is involvement in social and practical activities. Your hearing-impaired child is a member of the family and must follow the rules of your household like everyone else - for everybody's sake.
