My son wants to know why he's deaf

Isaac has just reached the age where he is asking why he is deaf. Why is he the only one in the family who has to wear hearing aids?

As a hearing parent, I remember when he first questioned me about it, freezing and thinking, what do I say?

So I decided that giving Isaac the facts was the best way to go for us. I explained to him that he was born with a gene that made him deaf. This means he doesn't hear the same as us, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing!

I spoke about how lucky we are that he has hearing aids which give him access to sounds and that he has the opportunity to learn to sign, too.

He is adamant he doesn't want to learn British Sign Language at the moment, but I slip in sign where I can, and he does understand some basic signs. This is usually greeting him in the morning before his aids are in and when swimming or bathing.

We also sought out deaf role models online, on TV and in the community. He is loving Fury from Gladiators at the moment!

We attended an audiology appointment, and they had a wonderful book with a history of deaf people and what they have achieved. Each time we visited, he sat looking through it, pointing out those he knew of.

Isaac is lucky to attend a primary school where there is at least one other pupil in each school year who wears some form of hearing device or signs.

We are very active in our local National Deaf Children's Society group too, as I think it's important he is around peers of all ages who are also deaf.

I'm very aware this is a conversation we may have to have many times as he grows, but I think it's an important conversation to have and to reassure him and build his confidence around his deaf identity each time we discuss it.