Hearing Aids, Cochlear Implants, and LSL: What If It Doesn’t Work?

Doctors can rarely tell us any surgery or treatment, in any context, will work 100%.

It can be hard - even impossible - to predict whether the LSL approach will work for a specific baby. So, what's often required from parents is a leap of faith, until months (even years) pass, and the results are measurable.

Yes, we hear the encouraging stories from other parents. We seek out videos of babies making strides. Our team is hopeful and encouraging.

But, through it all, it's hard to silence the voice in the back of our heads saying 'But, what if it doesn't work?' 

What happens if we're not in the club of happy success stories?  What if we're the family who has to re-envision the future again? 

What if we're the family who has to re-envision the future again? 

It would no doubt be a harsh blow to learn we need to shift gears (again).

We've grown attached to our vision of the future filled with mini auditory field trips. We've grown attached to our badges as LSL parents.

The best way we've found to respect and comfort that voice is to remember that those parents also don't want pity.

They, too, are thriving and happier than we imagine. And their kids, too, lead happy, fulfilling lives.

Just because that path would be "different," doesn't mean it would be worse. In fact, we'd probably one day be writing "The Things We Wished We Knew" about that change too.