When Emma's daughter Darcy was born, there were no known risk factors for deafness. A referral to the Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program later revealed that Darcy had profound bilateral hearing loss.
For six months, Emma and Darcy attended Australian Hearing sessions, learning about deafness, language acquisition, and the early intervention services available to them. Emma chose a bilingual approach, supported by the early intervention service Aurora, introducing Darcy to both English and Auslan from the start. Darcy is now a especially talkative young girl.
Along the way, Emma says it was important for the family to feel confident and assertive in their own choices, recognising that professionals were experts in their field, but not experts in their own family or child. Every decision the family has made has been guided by what feels right for Darcy and for them.
