My name is Stefanie and I live with my family in Vienna. My son Paul has implants both sides. Paul's hearing story began when his newborn hearing screening at three weeks old with the ENT doctor revealed abnormalities. That was a shock to us. We didn't believe it at first. Further tests showed that Paul could not hear. At first he had hearing aids, but he refused them. Eventually he was fitted with bilateral cochlear implants at seven months. At 18 months he finally said his first word, "Papa".

I would advise anyone in a similar situation to make contact with other affected persons and share experiences. You need a lot of patience as well. I would also advise you to drive the diagnosis and treatment forwards and really be proactive in getting the best possible provision and the desired outcome. I also think it is extremely important to enjoy your time with the child and not always concentrate on the hearing loss. It is possible, and important, to lead a "normal" family life.