A Super Story: Being Your Child’s Role Model

A good role model – someone you can identify with and look up to – can be a powerful influence in anyone’s life. Finding a role model as an adult might be a bit more difficult, but for kids, inspiration can come from many different places.

That’s exactly what happened for Anthony Smith, a four year old boy who decided he didn’t want to wear his hearing aid anymore because that just wasn’t something that superheroes did. To make sure, his mom emailed Marvel. The response was a picture of Hawkeye, a superhero with hearing loss, and Blue Ear, a specially created superhero whose hearing aid looks just like Anthony’s. You can read the full story here, but the end result is a young boy who’s proud to wear his hearing aid and tell all his friends about Blue Ear.

As touching as this story is, it’s also a good illustration of how a parent or even an audiologist can change a child’s perception of his hearing loss. Hearing aids especially don’t need to be those boring, ugly, beige set ups that adults prefer. They can be colorful, fun, and most importantly, useful.

Superheroes, princesses, athletes, anyone really, can be a role model. None are more important, however, than a young boy or girl’s parents. Here are some other things you can do to help change the perception of your child’s hearing aids:

  • Always have a positive attitude. Sometimes the hearing aids will be a pain. They can (will) get lost, and need cleaning, maintenance, and batteries. Try not to show any frustration you may feel when dealing with the hearing aids, as your child will pick up on it.
  • Divert Attention. Kids tend to want to play with things and may have trouble avoiding the urge to consider their hearing aid a toy. If it feels uncomfortable, few children will be able to resist pulling it off. So especially while they are getting used to a new earpiece, keep their hands and minds occupied on other things.
  • Talk Incessantly. If you are talking to your children they will naturally want to hear you. When they learn they can hear you when their earpiece is in, they’ll want to wear it. It’s a simple, effective way to demonstrate the usefulness of the new device.

We love working with our young patients, and our old fashioned service extends to children three years of age and older. Parents learning to deal with their child’s hearing impairment don’t need to feel overwhelmed. You can find a role model of your own at Schneiker Audiology.

Making Every Day a Family Day

Each year February 15th is set aside as a day dedicated to family life. Adults and kids can leave school and work behind and be free to enjoy some quality time with their loved ones. This year, Family Day has come and gone but it has left us reflecting on the importance of family in our modern world.

Going about our day to day lives, with work, school, and entertainment all thrown together, our schedules are full, even chaotic at times. Amidst all that chaos, the family can be a stabilizing influence for all of us. The little traditions and rituals we have amongst ourselves have a value unique to the people that created them, so that simple activities like preparing and enjoying a meal together or some lively conversation are refreshing and comforting unlike anything else.

Family Day isn’t the only time of year we enjoy these things, but it’s a good reminder of how important they are to us throughout the rest of the year. And it affords us another opportunity as well. It gives us a chance to pause and consider the families around us and their challenges and triumphs and maybe even how similar they are to our own.

At Schneiker Audiology we realize we have a role to play in the larger family that makes up our community. That means being good, active citizens. On a personal level it also means doing our part to help our patients participate in their family traditions in a meaningful way, rather than merely spectating across the gap that untreated hearing loss creates.

Schneiker Audiology wishes you many happy family days throughout 2016. If there is any role we can play in making that happen for you, so much the better. Stop by any time and let us know how we can help.

Celebrating Sound with Spring in Sarnia, ON

No matter how much, or how little, you love the winter it’s hard not to look forward to spring. The earth itself seems to be coming back to life as colours reappear, the air feels warmer and smells fresher, and you can just about taste all the local produce just around the corner. Of all the sensory delights of spring, however, none are greater than the sounds!

The old favourites likely come first to mind when you think of the sounds of spring: the birds returning and bringing their unique songs along with them, kids laughing and playing in the park, the wind rustling through new green leaves, and the sound of rainfall on your roof. When you take a moment to think about these sounds and really just enjoy them for what they are and what they represent you realize what a miracle and what a privilege your hearing truly is. Of course, maybe the most meaningful sounds are the ones more personal to you, and we understand what it means to lose the ability to hear them.

It’s for that reason that, while we celebrate sound itself this spring, we urge you not to miss out in your own lives. Modern hearing aids can work wonders in terms of restoring the ability to take in all the sounds that make your life special and unique. There is a solution for so many going without the gift of sound and we want to share it with you.

If you want to know how Schneiker Audiology can help you get the most out of spring, contact us now to find out. If you are among the many who we have already helped regain their sense of sound, reach out and let us know what spring sound you most appreciate hearing this season. Either way, we look forward to hearing from you.

Too cute not to share

We thought this was just too cute not to share it with all of you. Brielle gives us all a biology lesson – starting with one of the most important parts: your ear.

We Remember

This is the time of year we remember. It’s a time to be grateful for all those who answered a call to duty, giving up much of their normal life to preserve a future for upcoming generations. It’s a time for me to think of my family who served for all of us.

I grew up an Air Force brat, my entire family served in the military. My biological Father served Canada for 28 years; my Step Dad also served in the Air Force for more than 40 years; my paternal grandfather served overseas in WWII for Canada; his British war bride served as a switchboard operator for the British Royal Air Force in WWII; my maternal grandfather fought for Poland and was imprisoned in a German work camp in Germany in WWII; and my maternal grandmother captured by the Nazis and forced to cook in the German work camp where she met my Grandfather.

Nearly everyday we work with patients at our clinic who answered the call and served all of us who live in this great country. Knowing first hand what that means and how it has affected their family makes me feel truly honoured to give back in our own special way here at the clinic. We at Schneiker Audiology want you to know that we are so thankful for what you gave up and sacrificed. Please know that it does not go unnoticed; not today on the 11th and not any other day of the year.

Thank you veterans and service men and women of this country.