Heather, Addyson’s mom, recalls that her daughter was incredibly nervous, mostly because she was concerned she wouldn’t be able to hear the music for her routines.
As an infant, Addyson was diagnosed with mild to moderate hearing loss. She wore hearing aids from the age of 6 months and received speech services. At age two, her hearing declined, she was diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueducts (EVA) and her hearing loss was severe to profound. She received bilateral cochlear implants at age three to help her access sound.
She also began learning how to listen and talk at Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech. With Clarke’s support, Addyson successfully transitioned to kindergarten at her neighborhood school. Her mom says, “When Addyson entered Clarke, she was only babbling and you could only understand a few words. Now she’s able to compete in gymnastics competitions, literally, without missing a beat! She’s come so far.”
Today, Addyson is the only student in her school district with cochlear implants, and she’s excelling at more than gymnastics. She’s a straight-A, second-grade student who is reading at a fourth-grade level. Her favorite subject is math.
“Clarke taught Addyson and our family to be confident and dream big,” said Heather. “Watching her try something new, anticipate challenges and advocate for herself is an amazing experience as a parent. We know that sports like gymnastics will teach her even more about herself and her abilities.”
To learn more about Clarke’s programs and services, visit clarkeschools.org/services
