My name is Tomek.

In January 2023, I was diagnosed with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. I currently use hearing aids that improve my hearing by 40%

This allows me to hear speech and other sounds.

Unfortunately, the late diagnosis, as well as the hearing loss itself, have caused a significant delay in my speech development. I don’t form sentences, I communicate using gestures, and I know about 50 words. I work hard in sessions with a speech therapist, a special needs teacher, a psychologist, and a music therapist. I have several sessions with therapists each week.

There is a chance I might go on a rehabilitation stay at the World Centre for Hearing and Speech in Kajetany this summer. I would have

6 hours of classes a day:

Speech and hearing therapy

- Auditory training – developing auditory memory, stimulating and enhancing auditory functions.

- Auditory and music sessions

- Psychological and educational sessions

- Hand and foot therapy sessions

- Sensory classes

This is a huge opportunity for me.

In addition, I will have the opportunity to have an ENT consultation at this highly regarded centre. Unfortunately, the cost of this stay for me and one parent is 5,500 PLN.

I cannot access funding from PFRON because our PCPR only subsidises 14-day stays. And I don’t want to go on holiday, I just want to work with the therapists so that I can finally start talking to my parents. They’re waiting for this so much. I love them so much, and I want to finally tell them that!

Because of my hearing loss, I’m starting to show more and more behaviours associated with the autism spectrum, and when there’s an overload of stimuli, I’m uncontrollable. Mum then finds it very difficult to calm me down and needs Dad’s support. That’s why we all have to go on this stay – I’ll have lots of activities there, and that will cause overstimulation.

Dad has to pay an extra 2,000 zł for his attendance, which brings the total cost to around 8,000 zł.

This is also an important time for Mum and Dad. There, they will meet parents facing the same challenges, they will have the opportunity to discuss my current condition with experienced therapists, and I will also be assessed for autism, which is very important right now.

Thank you, kind soul, for reading this. If you’d like to support me on this journey, I’m sending you a big hug from the bottom of my heart and thanking you once again.

Stay warm, look after yourself and your loved ones.

I’m sending you a big hug

Tomek