News from NDCS – What you see, what you don’t

Message from NDCS

“What you see, what you don’t

Children with mild hearing loss or hearing loss in one ear can sometimes appear to manage well while also facing challenges that others may not see.

The National Deaf Children’s Society’s new awareness campaign, What you see, what you don’t, highlights the hidden impact of mild and unilateral hearing loss.

For some children, listening, joining in and keeping up can take extra effort, particularly in busy and noisy environments. They may appear to manage well at nursery or school, but become emotional, tired or overwhelmed when they get home.

Key facts:

• Around half of deaf children in the UK (48%) are reported to have mild or unilateral hearing loss.
• Around 11,319 children have been identified by services as having unilateral deafness.
• Around 12,390 children have been identified by services as having mild deafness.
• A child with mild hearing loss may miss between 25% and 50% of what is being said in a classroom environment.

The campaign aims to:

• increase awareness of mild and unilateral hearing loss
• help families recognise experiences that may feel familiar
• explore some forms of support available for mild or unilateral hearing loss
• encourage families to access our 2 new resources
• support professionals working with children and families

Alongside the campaign, the charity has created 2 new free resources for families: one about mild hearing loss resource and another about unilateral hearing loss. Topics covered include:

• causes, hearing tests and monitoring
• exploring the impact of these types and levels of hearing loss
• language and communication, including communication tips for families
• getting the right support at home and in education settings
• road safety
• hearing technology options
• making decisions
• real-life stories from families

Access the resources here

Mild hearing loss: For families – NDCS Bookshop

Unilateral hearing loss: For families – NDCS Bookshop

Please share this link with families:

What you see, what you don’t: mild and unilateral hearing loss | NDCS“