If you have a baby who has been diagnosed with hearing loss you may be feeling frightened, worried and alone. For some parents coming to terms with a diagnosis can be difficult if you are unsure of what lies ahead for your child. But know that you are not alone. Chime is here with you every step of the way, from advice and guidance to support and reassurance, we are ready to help.

The majority of children who are diagnosed as Deaf or Hard of Hearing are born to hearing parents, so you may have very little knowledge or experience of hearing loss. It is possible that when you were given the diagnosis you didn’t fully take in what the professional was saying. Rest assured Chime has supports in place to help you through this journey.

It may help to speak to a professional who can explain the diagnosis further, or you might like to speak to other parents who have been down this path already with their own children. Chime can support you with connections, advice and services that could help to put you at ease.

Chime’s Newly Diagnosed Weekends are held twice a year and are designed to support you through information about issues such as communication, child development, hearing aids and assistive technology, as well as much, much more. The weekends also give you a chance to meet other families following the same path and find answers to any questions you may have. Find out more about our Newly Diagnosed Weekends here.

This brochure has been designed to answer your questions around hearing loss. You can download it here.

If you want to communicate with someone who uses Irish Sign Language (ISL), you can pick up some phrases and words here.