16/08/2025
He sat alone on the bench, his cochlear implant catching the afternoon sunlight.
Other kids laughed and played in the distance ....but he stayed still, clutching his notebook.
Inside were two drawings:
One of him smiling, pointing to his ear ...“I can hear you.”
Another with worried eyes ...“I don’t understand.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to join in.
It’s that listening takes effort ....sometimes more than little ears and little hearts can manage.
Children with cochlear implants work twice as hard to follow conversations, especially in noisy places like playgrounds which can make hearing much harder.
Even when they can hear the sounds, following every word takes intense focus ... and that can be exhausting. This is called listening fatigue.
Here’s how you can help a child with a CI feel included:
1️⃣ Get their attention before speaking.
2️⃣ Face them so they can also read your facial expressions.
3️⃣ Keep background noise low when possible.
4️⃣ Be patient ... let them take breaks from listening.
Without patience, understanding, and a little extra kindness, they can be left out without anyone realizing it.
Inclusion isn’t just about access to sound.
It’s about giving every child the time, space, and respect to be both heard and understood.
