Lately we have been really focused on helping Kay get more comfortable wearing her BAHA again. For anyone who may not be familiar, a BAHA is a bone anchored hearing aid. It helps transmit sound through bone conduction instead of the traditional way sound travels through the ear. For Kay, this little device can make a big difference in how clearly she hears the world around her.
Like many things with kids, especially kids who are still learning to tolerate new sensations and routines, this has not been an instant or easy process. Some days she wears it with very little fuss and other days she is much more aware of it and wants it off quickly. We are taking it one step at a time and focusing on consistency more than perfection.
Over the past few weeks, we have been intentionally working on building up her wear time. Even small wins matter here. A few extra minutes here and there adds up, and the goal is to slowly help her brain and body adjust so that wearing it becomes just another part of her day rather than something unfamiliar or frustrating.
The reason we are putting so much energy into this right now is because we really want Kay to have every opportunity to access sound as clearly as possible. Better hearing supports so many areas of development including speech, communication, attention, and overall learning. It is one of those things that has a ripple effect into everything else she is doing.
We have a follow up appointment with her audiologist coming up in mid July. At that visit we will go over her wear time data and talk about how she has been doing with the BAHA overall. If needed, they may make adjustments to help improve comfort or usability so that it is easier for her to keep it on for longer periods of time.
We will also be discussing something that has been in the back of my mind lately, the possibility of whether Kay could be a candidate for a cochlear implant. This is a big topic and not something we take lightly. It is also something that brings up a lot of emotions for me personally.
The idea of surgery is always hard, especially when it involves your child. With Kay also having type 1 diabetes, anything involving anesthesia or healing requires even more careful consideration and planning. There are so many layers to think through, from medical risks to recovery to whether it would truly be the best step for her long term.
Right now we are just in the learning and information gathering stage. I am going into the appointment with an open mind and a lot of questions. I trust her audiologist and I am grateful that we have a team willing to walk through all of these decisions with us without rushing anything.
For now, our focus stays right where it has been. Helping Kay get comfortable, supporting her little wins, and celebrating every bit of progress she makes with her BAHA. It is not always a straight path, but we are moving forward together, one day at a time.