(source: Courtesy of Nepocujucedieta.sk)
Proper diagnosis and treatment from the first months of their lives would give them a chance not to lag behind their peers.
It is very hard for a parent to hear the bad news – Your child has a diagnosis that cannot be treated. This is the case also with hearing impairment, but in this case, there still is a chance for the child to learn to speak and be a part of the hearing community. Nonetheless, it is a very rocky road – the parents themselves have to learn a lot and play their part as early as possible.
Lack of information
The care for hearing-impaired children is stagnating in Slovakia. But it is the early life of the child, which is the most decisive. People at the nepocujucedieta.sk NGO know what we are talking about – the founders themselves are parents of a hearing-impaired son. They want to provide better information to parents, help them support each other as a community and thus improve the chances for all hearing-impaired children.
Nepocujucedieta.sk brings tips and tricks on how to help such child develop after the diagnosis. The communication section of this website helps connect parents of hearing-impaired children, who can help and support each other in this uneasy task.
Insufficient technology
“There is an acute demand for an audiocentre in Slovakia,” said Irina Šebová, senior consultant of the otolaryngological ward at the Children’s University Hospital in Bratislava. “We are aware that many parents often have to travel with their hearing-impaired children to Brno or even Prague just to get properly examined. In Slovakia, we are lacking both the experts as well as the technical equipment. The issue here is a crucial one, because if small children with a hearing impairment are able to get proper diagnosis and treatment in their early years, their chances for a good life significantly improve.”
To be able to establish an audiocentre, we need the help and support of the general public. Portal DobraKrajina.sk launched a public collection for the First Children’s Audiocentre at the Children’s University Hospital in Bratislava, which will serve everyone in Slovakia. Please donate €5 by sending SMS message to 834 or visit dobrakrajina.sk for unlimited on-line gifts.
Anna Podlesna, from Pontis Foundation
Note: Dobra Krajina (Great Country) is a project of the Pontis Foundation collecting and distributing donations in a fair manner.
