Special stories publishing in conjunction with Irish deaf kids are delighted to make “A birthday for Ben” a childrens picture book available to you. Children with hearing issues may often feel different to their peers due to wearing hearing-aids. Or feel left behind in games or group situations that involve auditory exchanges. This story helps all children to see the difficulties that a child in this situation might face and how certain everyday situations might upset them.
Through the main character, children who are deaf/hard of hearing also learn that it’s OK to mention the specific frustrations and issues they experience. People around the children also become more aware of possible workarounds to communication issues or situations. The story helps to reinforce how important it is that no child is ever excluded or left out. Ben’s story offers a broad introduction to the various challenges a child with hearing difficulties may face. As with any story however, this is only one interpretation of mainstream school and the experience of all deaf or hard of hearing children will differ depending on their environment, family background or personality.
