Townsville tot Teddy on the right track thanks to Hear and Say

One of the state’s leading not-for-profits aimed at helping children deal with permanent hearing loss is urging Townsville to support young kids like Teddy.

Teddy Dickinson, 17 months, at Hear and See at James Cook University. Picture: Evan Morgan

It’s the news no new parent could bare to hear.

For many Queensland families, however, every year they receive a diagnosis that can completely up-end their child’s life.

For Leah Dickinson, her family received the fateful news when her son, Teddy, was just four-months-old.

Her baby boy was diagnosed with profound unilateral hearing loss, a condition that would require surgery, therapy and constant medical work for a chance at a normal life.

“In the beginning, it was really rough,” Leah said of her son’s troubles.

Teddy Dickinson, 17 months, at Hear and See at James Cook University. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We were going through that new parent life and everything that comes with that in general. “To be told that your son has significant hearing loss as well, it was pretty hard to deal with.”

Initially she was dreading the impacts that her son’s condition would have on his quality of life.

“I just want him to go to daycare, get to school, those things will be here before he knows it. I want him to have all those opportunities and all the listening opportunities,” Leah said.

“Being with his friends, listening to jokes and not missing out on hearing the punchline, just those things we take for granted.”

Now at 17 months, Teddy is growing used to a temporary hearing aid before he receives surgery for a cochlear implant next month.

He’s also undergoing therapy and other processes aimed at keeping his damaged ear’s functions alive as he awaits surgery.

None of it, Leah said, would be possible without Hear and Say and audiologist Liza Bowen. Operating its Townsville office out of JCU’s Clinical Practice Building, the not-for-profit is the largest charitable organisation working to restore Queensland childrens’ hearing.

“It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” Ms Bowen said.

“We get to work with children from when they’re tiny babies as young as three months. Being able to be a part of that journey and watch parents learn and their child grow and develop is really rewarding.”

The organisation marked Tuesday May 30 with its annual giving day, which involved a 12-hour period in which all donations to its coffers were doubled by their corporate sponsors, but is always in need of more help.

“All our funds go towards children like Teddy and helping them with hearing loss. There’s over 300 kids born in Australia every year with permanent hearing loss who are in need of specialist speech pathology services, paediatric audiology and cochlear implants.”

To donate to Hear and Say, visit www.hearandsay.org.au

Originally published as Townsville tot Teddy on the right track thanks to Hear and Say