Roselynn’s Story

Roselynn is FHSR’s amazing patient champion for our 2022 Annual Appeal!Born with bilateral hearing loss, Roselynn has overcome many obstacles to become the fairytale princess loving talkative singing little girl we know today.   Identified with mild to moderate hearing loss, Roselynn was first fitted with hearing aids at Comer Children’s Hospital in 2018.  Thanks in […]

Tips for Improving Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Retention

By: Associate Board Member EmilyAnn Duffley Every parent of a young child with hearing loss knows that it is sometimes a challenge to keep the devices on their busy child’s head when they are being active. If a hearing device falls off of a child while on the playground or during sports, it is easy […]

Pitch perception and Cochlear Implant users

Cochlear Implant users and Pitch Perception

Did you know that cochlear implant users perceive pitch in an entirely different way than normal hearing listeners? This can sometimes make it difficult for people with cochlear implants to appreciate the melody of music or understand tone of voice. Let’s put this into an analogy on the piano.  Pretend that all the keys on […]

An Interview with Jen Haney, Family Education Liaison

Hart Family Education Coordinator

FHSR interviewed Jen about her role as a Family Education Liaison and tips for parents about navigating accommodations and special education plans. She is the Hart Family Education Liaison for the Cochlear Implant Program at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. She is a licensed teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, and a credentialed Early Invention evaluator and provider.

Holiday Travel with CIs and Hearing Aids – A Handy Checklist

The holiday season is upon us! December is one of the busiest travel months of the year. How can you assure that you have a successful, low-stress vacation with your Cochlear Implant (CI) or Hearing Aid (HA) kid?  Plan, plan, plan, and then prepare!

What to Look For When Signing Up for Health Insurance

The 2018 open enrollment period for the healthcare marketplace ends after December 15, 2018. As the parent of a child with hearing loss that has been forced to get new health insurance every year for the last seven years (our plans were “no longer offered,” i.e., cancelled, each year), I understand how hard it can be to choose a health insurance plan.  If possible, work with your employer’s human resources department to pick a plan.  For the rest of us without that option, here are a few tips to consider when choosing an insurance plan for you and your family.  We provide additional resource links for more tips.

Important News: Insurance Coverage for Children’s Hearing Aids

On August 23, 2018, Governor Bruce Rauner signed HB4516 requiring Illinois insurance companies to provide coverage for hearing instruments for children under the age of 18. The bill is effective immediately, which means that insurers will begin providing this benefit with policies issued after today. If you have a claim denied, please report it to the Illinois Department of Insurance.