Encouraging children to be themselves is extremely important.
As a child, I was so lucky that my parents encouraged me to express myself and be who I wanted to be. However, when a child is born with a physical impairment, they can often grow up with a negative feeling of being "different" instead of a positive one. So when I saw what one mother did to help her deaf son lead a more normal childhood, I was definitely inspired.
Freddie is a young boy living with his brother and parents in the United Kingdom. Freddie was born with extreme hearing loss and had to receive cochlear implants, which are hearing devices that are surgically implanted in his ears. Not wanting Freddie or other children like him to be self-conscious about his hearing devices, his mother Sarah decided to take action.
Sarah created decorations for hearing aids that allow kids to express themselves and feel more included. In fact, the designs she made are so cool that non-deaf children have even expressed interest in wearing them!
Sarah and Freddie's story is absolutely inspiring, and these unique hearing aid designs have helped families around the world.
Please SHARE if you love what this mother did for her son.
h/t The Mighty
At 3 months old, Freddie was diagnosed with deafness.
Sarah's friend also confessed to Sarah that her daughter, who wears a hearing aid, didn't want to wear it because it made her feel different.
So Sarah decided to help Freddie and her friend's daughter. She created a company called Lugs to sell inexpensive decorations for regular hearing devices.
Sarah told The Mighty, "I thought there would be a lot of families struggling with children who don't want to wear their [hearing devices], and I felt that I had to help."
Sarah wants children with hearing devices to live life more confidently. Her new company has created hearing aid decorations in many styles including Batman, Hello Kitty, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Sarah told The Mighty, "I got e-mails from professionals to thank me for what I'm doing; it just amazes me. People all over the world are wearing the little kits that I make in my living room; it's unbelievable!"
"Knowing children are not just happy to wear their hearing aids and cochlears but that they are proud to show them off makes it all worth while."
Now Freddie loves his hearing devices. Even his non-deaf little brother thinks they are cool enough to wear! Sarah told The Mighty, "We just hope we can help as many children and adults as we can and have fun and creative devices that they are proud of."
Please SHARE if you find Sarah and Freddie's story inspiring!
