New articles on our website

We have added a few interesting articles to the website this month.

1. Dr Louisa Willoughby tells about her research into how migrant families with deaf children, negotiate the complex business of language choice, juggling English with the languages they brought from their countries of origin, as well as possibly learning Auslan. http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/deaf-and-migrant.html
   
   
2. The other articles are around the issue of Informed Choice. Parents are faced with all kinds of decisions throughout the life of their child. As the parent of a child with a hearing loss, these decisions may be about choices that are new to you - most families know little about deafness when their child is diagnosed with a hearing loss. Knowing you are making the right choices at the right time can often be clouded by stress or by the differing views of professionals, family and friends. The amount of information given to you can be overwhelming given the complex nature of many of the issues. How can you make the right choices? http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/making-informed-choices.html
   
   This article is now available on our website in Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese thanks to a grant from the Sisters of Charity Foundation.
   
   
3. As the parent of a child with a hearing loss, you will be encouraged to learn all you can about your child’s hearing. Accurate and reliable information will help you to make informed decisions about raising your deaf child. You will be provided with a variety of information resources and you may search for more information on the Internet. How do you tell if a book or website is any good? http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/finding-accurate-and-reliable-information.html
   
   
4. We also explore the issue of keeping records. There are a few good reasons to keep records:
   
   • To keep track of who you see and the outcome of each visit.
   • To keep an accurate medical history for your child. You will be asked the same questions again and again and it helps to have all the information in one place.
   • Keeping records such as test results, IEPs and school reports, shows you how your child is progressing and can help you decide when changes may be needed.
   • There may be times when you need to advocate for your child to receive the services or support they need. Good records and documentation is vital in assisting you to be a good advocate for your child.
     http://www.aussiedeafkids.org.au/keeping-records.html