SOUNDS AROUND Deaf Children New Zealand | Tamariki Turi O Aotearoa

Newsletter Spring 2018 Welcome Thank you to everyone who made our camp at El Rancho last month such a special time where we made friendships, shared information and had lots of fun! We feature some of the highlights on page 2. One of the questions which cropped up was how to know what services are available. Deaf Children NZ has worked on a visual map to guide whanau along their journey. Another was about the child disability allowance. Look inside for more details on these. Tech corner looks at how Cochlear’s Aqua Kit works and in education we consider the transition for deaf children starting school. In our focus on regional parents’ groups we travel to Hawkes Bay, where parents started from ground zero four years ago. Today, they have a thriving group, a busy schedule of activities and engaged families. Happy reading!

In this issue:

How to grow a parents’ group – the

key to success in Hawkes Bay (pictured)

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Deaf Children New Zealand camp at

Waikanae

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Tech corner – getting wet!

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Excellence awards 2018 – nominations

close soon

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Consistency in CDA payments

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Starting school

Deaf Children NZ President Kate Whale kate@deafchildren.org.nz Newsletter editor Gill Fair

gill@deafchildren.org.nz

0800 DEAF CHILD(0800 332324)Text 027 2146901

info@ deafchildren.org.nz n.org.nz

EL RANCHO – camp July 27-29

Our packed programme of speakers and activities included updates on Enabling Good Lives and the Deaf Education Centres, horse-riding, archery, rock-climbing and rifle shooting. We began with Deaf Children New Zealand’s – and El

Rancho’s – first pōwhiri on Saturday morning, having arrived and settled in the night before. Deaf Aotearoa was our first presentation, with information about First Signs and Youth Services. Parents asked about what services were available to enable them to continue their sign language journey during the school years and there was discussion about how that gap might be filled. Enabling Good Lives Transformation manager Sacha O’Dea spoke about the partnership between the disability sector and government agencies and how a pilot in mid-central district is looking at how individualized funding could be the way of the future. Deaf Education Centres Rachel Douglas, the chair of the combined DEC board, outlined their key goals as one national organization. We talked about how we get information out to whānau and how to find out about services which are available. More money in the system is set to ease the workload of ASSISTs, the role that takes over from Advisers of Deaf Children when children are about eight years old. NZ Relay Service This presentation outlined the services to improve phone communication using Skype video calls with a free sign language interpreter. This fantastic service runs 8am-8pm Monday to Friday. Follow the simple instructions at https://nzvis.co.nz/ to get going.

Meanwhile, our children had a morning of activities and we joined them for some fun and games in the afternoon.

Our annual general meeting on Sunday ratified changes to our constitution, received the treasurer’s report and elected Karen Dobson from Canterbury Parents of Deaf Children as our new board member. We thank Debra Bellon, who stepped down this year as she and her family are abroad. Thanks to the NZSL board, the National Foundation for the Deaf and the David Levigne Foundation for helping us to fund this weekend

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In the year before….

The people working with your child can become an early learning team to support your child’s transition to school, which can include you, your Advisor on Deaf Children, pre-school teachers, family and friends.

Discuss with them which schools your child could attend and visit them. Make an appointment with the school principals or other staff. Find out if there is an orientation programme and whether your pre-school shares information with the school, with your approval. The school may have suggestions to help your child prepare. For some children, putting off school until

they are ready – although most start at five, it is not a legal requirement until they turn six – can be a benefit.

Families can help the transition process by….

Sharing information about their child’s strengths, needs and interests

Initiating or participating in the process at whatever level of involvement they feel comfortable with

Attending meetings of the early learning support team

Find out whether the school has any training in deaf awareness and any hard of hearing children and what the classroom acoustics are like (especially if there are carpets and curtains)

Talk to your teacher about your child, their hearing levels and technology before they start.

The school day…

Help them get used to new routines by playing games. Role-plays and reference cards

can introduce new concepts, words and/or signs. You may want to take photographs of the rooms and teachers your child will see so that you can talk about them, and after they have started they can use the pictures to tell you what they have been doing.

Consider a school-home book to share day-to-day information, technology problems, new vocabulary, school topics, etc

Invite school friends for playdates to help them form bonds and feel socially included at school.

Being independent…

Children may have to get changed for sport or swimming lessons. If they cannot tie their own shoe laces, consider giving them Velcro shoes instead. They may need to practice fastening buttons, zips, press studs, etc

Emphasise personal care, such as toileting and washing

their hands properly. Teach them how to blow their nose.

Help to teach them concentration skills by a memory

game such as remembering six items on a table that have been covered for a minute.

Remember – you are your child’s first teacher and know them better than anyone.

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!Our first camp was at the National

Aquarium two years ago, imagine a sleepover with 50 people in front of the big shark tank. sign/translate as we toured around the Aquarium.''

!We went to a Hawkes Bay Magpies

rugby game last year and had a catch up

first with the families. We also invited the local RTDs (Resource Teacher: Deaf). We got pizza, had face-painting and balloons. We all got to mingle together and build friendships and have fun.

!We did events at the miniature

trains at Havelock North and Flip-out trampoline. All of our events are fully funded for the whole family by fundraising.

! Another event - which raises

community awareness about NZSL and also our group - is a Bedtime Stories event run by a local book shop called Wardinis once a term, for all children.

A sign language communicator from

Van Asch, an RTD or a Teacher Aide

comes along and signs the stories to a packed bookshop.

HAWKES BAY: WHAT WORKED FOR US

Excellence awards

Deaf Children New Zealand would like to acknowledge the extra hard work and dedication that children with a hearing loss put into school to merely keep up with their peers, and the amazing effort it takes to excel.

We therefore present awards annually for each year level of school, from primary through to the end of secondary school. These awards recognise the greatest

achievement across the country, either academically or as part of the social environment within education, of a deaf or hard of hearing student.

The nominations are open each year from August 1 and close on the last day of School Term 3 (Friday 28 September 2018) so get in quick!

We endeavour to co-ordinate the presentation of these awards with the student's end of year School Award Assembly.

See the website for application forms – these can be

accompanied by a letter of support from anyone eg. parent, teacher or RTD, and we look forward to getting your applications!

Would you like a parent group in your region?

We are still trying to get in contact with any

families in the Marlborough Region with deaf/ hard of hearing kids who are keen to catch up with

other families. Please email kate@deafchildren.org.nz -we would really love to hear from you.

Sign language website review

Developed by Victoria University

http://www.learnnzsl.nz/#/id/co-01

is a great resource for getting started and staying engaged. Click into each section,

such as everyday activities or meet and greet and select a word or phrase. It will

take you to a short clip and from there you can navigate through the whole topic. A super-easy and user-friendly resource

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https://www.facebook.com/nzfdc has some great posts from families about apps and

websites they use. Please add to the

suggestions!

Our president, Kate, has been trialling an alarm clock. She says: “For once, we have found something that actually works to wake the deepest sleeper in the house!” This company is based in Christchurch and can access a whole range of equipment. Remember, Deaf Children NZ can help subsidise up to $200 or half the price (whichever is lower) through the Assistive Device applications. http://deafquip.co.nz/deaf-products

TECH CORNER

Cochlear Aqua Aqua+? Q & A with Stacey Butler, Cochlear New Zealand’s business manager

What is the Aqua+? The Aqua+ is a soft, flexible silicone sleeve that fits over an existing Nucleus CP810 (N5) or CP900 (N6) series (including Kanso CP950) and CP1000 (N7) processor. When used with the Aqua+ Coil, it allows CI recipients to participate in water activities where additional protection is needed. Is the Aqua+ waterproof? Yes. The Aqua+ gives your sound processor an IP68 ingress protection rating in three metres of still water for two hours. Cochlear also performed extensive “real life” testing to simulate bathing in soapy water and swimming in chlorinated or salt water. Can I use my regular coil and coil cable with the Aqua+? No, the Aqua+ should only be used with the specified Aqua+ Coil. This integrated coil-cable is designed specifically for underwater swimming in all water types, while your standard coil and coil cable are not. Why can’t I use Zinc Air batteries? Zinc Air batteries require air to remain active and will not work inside the Aqua+ because the Aqua+ is airtight. What is included in the Aqua+ Recipient Kit? New users must start with the Aqua+ Recipient Kit. The Kit comes with the Aqua+, Aqua+ Coil, Magnet, Mic Lock- Stirrup, Safety Line and Storage Case. Where can I use the Aqua+? The Aqua+ was designed to be used in any water based activity to a depth of three metres. Scuba diving is therefore not recommended.

How is the Aqua+ used? The user seals the sound processor inside the sleeve and attaches the specially designed Aqua+ Coil to the processor. It can then be worn behind the ear as normal. The Aqua+ must be used with the Aqua+ Coil. For peace of mind, it is recommended that a retention device such as Mic Lock - Stirrup and or Safety Line be used with the Aqua+. These items are provided in the kit. Can the Aqua+ be used in all types of water? Yes, the Aqua+ can be used in soapy bath or shower water, chlorinated pools, partial salt water/chlorinated pools, salt water and fresh water, anything which is safe for skin contact. When should I replace the Aqua+ (sleeve)? Testing shows that the Aqua+ (the silicone sleeve) can be used around 50 times. This is an average under test conditions - some users may get many more uses depending on how they use it and how well they take care of it. You should inspect the Aqua+ sleeve for signs of wear or damage before and after each use. If water is detected inside the sleeve it is an indication of damage and it should be replaced. How do I learn more? Go to our website for videos, user guides and quick tips: https://www.cochlear.com/au/home/discover/cochlear-implants/aquaplus-and-water Also, our YouTube Cochlear AUS/NZ page has videos on the Aqua+.

Child disability allowance What is it? A non-means tested allowance, currently $47.64 a week. How do you apply? Through your local Work and Income office. Although it is a form that your GP or ENT fills out, it does seem to help to submit additional information (although unfortunately not always). This could be from a helpful AoDC or audiologist, explaining the particular difficulties that families with deaf children face. Or it could be written by parents/caregivers. A really useful

resource is the template on the DCNZ website

What are the issues? Deaf Children New Zealand has had discussions about how inconsistent Work and Income’s decisions seem to be regarding whether families are eligible. Regardless of

whether your child’s disability is permanent, many people have to re-apply regularly eg every two or five years, which can be stressful.

We would like to take the issues families of deaf children have with the Ministry of Social Development and would appreciate feedback (click here) so that we

can build a case for more consistent decisions, and a

better process.

For further information on the benefit visit the Ministry

of Social Development site here

Remember to update Work and Income of personal detail changes if you move house or change contact details so you get the notification to re-apply.

What’s your job? Jayne Simpson Allen

Jayne Simpson Allen, M.Ed., B.Ed., Dip.T., LSLS Cert.AVT works part-time as a Cochlear Implant Habilitationist for the Northern Cochlear Implant Program in the Kelston Deaf Education Centre region, and an Auditory-Verbal Therapist at The Hearing House in Auckland. Originally from Australia, she has worked in Queensland and New Zealand with children who are deaf/hard-of-hearing since 1986. She was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for her work in Queensland and was the first certified Auditory-Verbal Therapist in New Zealand. In her spare time, she mentors professionals working towards certification as Listening and Spoken Language Specialists in Auditory-Verbal Therapy and Education.

If you did not receive this newsletter from us directly, or found it online

and would like to be sent future copies, please email us at info@deafchildren.org.nz