“There's so much information out there [and] lots of gaps in what you understand. And that's the hard bit: you've been given this information and you want to launch into action, and you don't know what to do.” Hannah, Mum to Hayden who has bilateral moderate sensorineural hearing loss
When you first discover your child is deaf or hard of hearing (DHH), you may get bombarded with advice from friends, family and health professionals, often with very different opinions. Fortunately, there are ways to sift through your options and make informed decisions.
Some opinions hold more weight than others, evidence-based advice from a specialist is a lot more credible than advice from an Instagram influencer. Seek information from legitimate, research-backed sources that aren't trying to push a specific approach or service.
It can be helpful to seek opinions from a few different people, including other parents of deaf children and various health professionals. If you get the same advice from a range of sources, it's more likely to be right.
Your choices are not set in stone. You can always change direction if things aren't working out how you'd hoped.
You know your child best, so don't let someone pressure you into something that feels uncomfortable. Health professionals can partner with you in finding options that work for your child and family, don't be afraid to share your thoughts and ask questions.