Caring for a child with a hearing impairment...

[playfelt]

In the grand scheme of disabilities a hearing impairment is fairly easy to incorporate into the daycare. Biggest thing is assume the child may need personal messages so standing near that child when you say lunchtime or everyone come for storytime will make it easier for her to hear you amidst the noisy room.

I think were should I term or not issues come up is when we are dealing with a physical disability where a child might need carried or lifted longer than normal so can the caregiver's body handle that or a child with learning disabilities where it turns to frustration for the child and therefore behaviour issues surface.

My only caution is to remember that the other children have needs too. I had a child with down syndrome and although it was wonderful when the therapists first started coming it became disruptive as they got demanding on me asking me to take the other children for a specific activity or wanting to use my basement playroom for therapy and expecting me to stay upstairs. Problem was the child wanted to be with us. Eventually we stopped the visits and mom arranged to take off one afternoon a week from work so it could be done at her house. But the difference was the therapist wanted to work one on one with the child not within the confines of the daycare group. When the OT and PT used to come to my house for my own daughter they observed her within the group and often let the other kids have a turn doign whatever exercises they were doing with Brianne. It was during one of those visits that she picked up on issues with one of my daycare children and brought me info to share with the family. So much depends on the therapists.

For sign langauge there is a Sign with Me program that can be used with the entire group so that the others will learn to communicate too.