So there are 2 sides to Alice’s treatment, the first is medical, intervention, devices and the such. The second is therapy.

One of the first things that happen when you are diagnosed as hearing impaired is you get a “TOD” or “Teacher of the Deaf”. In theory these are specialist teachers who organise your support workers, help you to develop communication, work with getting the best results from aiding, organise the most appropriate schooling environment and are part of the assesment process for statementing (a statement of educational support).

In practice they are people who turn up at your house sometimes and check Alice is wearing her aids and then invite other people to also turn up. Our TOD has seen Alice 4 times and has played drinking tea and rolling the ball with her. She has no experience with cued speech but claims to support our communication choice. Has she helped Alice to communicate – no, are we any further through her input I’m afraid that’s a no as well.

Note to parents in similar situation do your own homework, find your own way and don’t rely on anyone.

So we have chosen cued speech to get language into her now. We have contacted AV Oxford to consider post implantation intensive therapy and have spoken with Christopher Place in Euston and have e-learning coming from the Elizabeth Foundation in Portsmouth. Note to self when rich set up a therapy centre in kingston as travelling this far is not fun but also not optional.