u201cThereu2019s no history of hearing loss in our families, so when our oldest son, Jocku2019s newborn hearing screening came back as a u2018referu2019 in the hospital, it was quite surreal,u201d recalled Jade.
u201cJock was only two weeks old when we took him for further audiology testing, and after hours of assessments the results were no different. It was then that it really hit home for me and Nikko.
u201cWe put on a brave face but once we could have a moment alone, we allowed ourselves to feel sadness u2013 not for ourselves, but for Jock and all the unknowns, particularly given the little knowledge we had about hearing loss at that stage.u201d
Jock was quickly fitted with hearing aids, and the family reached out to Hear and Sayu2019s Townsville centre u2013 some seven hoursu2019 drive from home u2013 for specialised support with his speech therapy.
It didnu2019t take long before that initial worry and stress turned to optimism and excitement for theu00a0 future, reiterated when Sandy was born two years later and faced the same diagnosis.
u201cHear and Say has been unbelievably supportive since the day we first engaged with them. Their professional services, helpful and thoughtful staff and wealth of knowledge has provided our boys with the absolute best start in life,u201d said Jade.
u201cTheyu2019ve always been one step ahead of us, guiding us and the kids in the greatest possible way to ensure theyu2019re always reaching their goals. There was a time when something didnu2019t seem right with Jocku2019s speech for example, so the team immediately investigated it further and found he had chronically blocked ears which ultimately needed grommets. We were so lucky Hear and Say was there to pick this up, which enabled Jock to keep up developmentally.u201d
Accessing sessions via a combination of online telepractice and in-centre appointments has meant Jock and Sandy can also continue their sessions wherever works best for the family.
