Send us Fan Mail Your child can “pass” a school hearing screening and still miss huge parts of daily life. That gap is where frustration, fatigue, and quiet slipping-behind can start, even when grades look fine on paper. Your Child Has Hearing Loss. Now What? Download Dana's FREE guide for parents . Hearing aids open the door to sound. But navigating school, talking to teachers, and supporting your child at home is a whole separate journey. This free guide was created by a Speech-Language Pathologist and mom of a child with hearing loss to help you take confident next steps. We’re joined by Dana Ann Hawkins, a speech-language pathologist and mom, who shares her daughter Emma’s journey with hearing loss, ear infections, and finally getting hearing aids. We talk honestly about the moment many families don’t expect: the hearing aids help, but they don’t magically solve noisy classrooms, fast directions, or social chaos in hallways and lunchrooms. Dana breaks down the difference between hearing in quiet and functional listening in real-world environments, plus what “total communication” really looks like at school and at home. A major part of our conversation is advocacy. Dana walks through pushing for a 504 plan, getting denied because Emma was “doing well,” and what it took to reconvene with the right team and the right understanding of how accommodations work. We also get specific about assistive technology and modern school barriers, like locked Chromebooks that can block Bluetooth streaming to hearing aids during standardized testing. If you’ve ever felt like you’re explaining hearing loss from scratch to a school system, you’ll feel seen. We also cover carryover strategies, listening fatigue, self-advocacy language kids can use, and why collaboration between hearing care professionals, audiologists, and speech-language pathologists can close the follow-up gap after a fitting. If you find this helpful, subscribe, share it with a parent or educator, and leave a review so more families can find practical support. Connect with Dana Ann Hawkins, SLP: Instagram: Speech and Language Explained Facebook: Dana Ann Hawkins Linkedin: Dana Ann Hawkins Visit our website and take our quick online hearing screener . And if you're ready to take the next step, our online hearing care provider locator can help you find a trusted hearing care professional near you. Taking that first step can make a meaningful difference, helping you stay connecting to the people and moments that matter most. Omega AI hearing aids don’t just keep up. They redefine what it means to be modern and discreet yet durable and comfortable for all-day wear. They’re waterproof, everyday-proof, and designed to go the distance of your day and then some. All while tailored to your unique hearing needs. Connect with the Hearing Matters Podcast Team Email: hearingmatterspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @hearing_matters_podcast Facebook: Hearing Matters Podcast