Willow Logan is little miss sociable and loves being around people, according to her doting mother Becca Logan. The two-year-old is never happier than when she's outside getting stuck into the mud kitchen or climbing up the slide at her local park in Plymouth.
But to become the chatterbox that she is, Willow has had to overcome more hurdles than your average toddler. Despite being born with moderate hearing loss, the little girl is smashing every milestone with the help of a very special charity. Willow's mum Becca tells HELLO! how Deaf Choices UK has opened up Willow's world.
Learning of Willow's hearing loss
Becca's pregnancy was like any other. When she welcomed Willow into the world at 39 weeks there were no signs that her daughter was deaf.
As Becca and her husband Chris began renovating their new family home, however, loudly drilling into the ceiling and smashing down walls, Willow appeared unperturbed by the noise.
"She is the most chilled baby in the world, she's not even flinching!," Becca recalls thinking to herself. It was at a health visitor's appointment that it finally registered that something wasn't right.
When Willow's hearing was checked it showed no clear response. It was put down to there still being fluid in her ears after the birth. The next week came around, and once again, Willow showed no clear response to the hearing test.
After being referred to their local audiology department, Willow underwent a further test which found that she had moderate hearing loss. She was only five weeks old.
READ: Our baby was born without eyes but Guide Dogs gave us a 'sense of hope'
What her hearing loss means
"I think most parents would go into the hearing test and come out upset, grieving your child's hearing they'll never have. I came out relieved because I was expecting it to be a lot worse," Becca tells us.
Willow's mum explains that hearing loss is measured on a scale from mild to moderate to severe to profound. Willow's moderate hearing loss means she can hear people talking but will often lose parts of their speech. She also finds it difficult to decipher different sounds in busy places, even with the hearing aids she has been wearing since she was 10 weeks old.
"If you're in a quiet room where it's just you and Willow talking, her hearing aids are amazing. They help her to pick up on sounds in speech that she might not otherwise hear and otherwise and hear things like tones of voices that she might miss," Becca says. She adds that if someone is talking to Willow they can also wear her Roger Radio Aid, a type of microphone worn around their neck so their voice goes straight into Willow's hearing aids.
However, Becca remembers a time when Willow's hearing aids couldn't offer the necessary support. "We went to a soft play where there were loads of bouncy castles…and she was just looking around thinking, 'What is going on?' She couldn't hear a thing and she really withdrew into herself," her mum recalls.
Willow's safety also has to be considered by her parents regarding her hearing loss. "She's of an age where she's starting to walk down the street holding our hands but if she's not, it's concerning as she can't hear us say, 'Stop, wait for me', when she's approaching a road," Becca explains.
Becca is nobly optimistic in her outlook when it comes to Willow's hearing loss. But, understandably, there have been emotional times along the way. "When you're sitting with your tiny little baby in your arms, rocking them to sleep, you think, 'Are they ever going to hear me tell them I love them? Are they ever going to speak? Are they ever going to say that they love me?."
Getting in touch with Deaf Choices UK
A very special lady named Kathy from Deaf Choices UK silenced those fears. Becca was sent in the direction of the charity by Willow's audiologist and put in touch with Kathy over Zoom. She explained how she could teach Becca and her husband cued speech, as well as British Sign Language to help open communication with Willow as she learns to read and speak.
"It was one of the best decisions I have ever made," Becca tells us, remembering logging onto the call for the first time. "Kathy has been incredible. Without her support, I don't think we would be where we are now as a family, and I know that for certain Willow wouldn't be where she is now in her development."
Becca explains that while cued speech is a hand-signing system that makes the English language visible, British Sign Language is its own separate language which is entirely signed using your hands and has no written form. Willow is learning both, as well as standard English.
"My husband and I recently went on a family BSL course where we worked alongside a deaf person who was teaching us key signs that we'll need to use with Willow," Becca shares. "Kathy taught us how to use cued speech which I think is definitely key in how fantastically Willow is doing in her speech."
Kathy also introduced Willow and Becca to Plymouth Deaf Children's Society which allows Willow to meet up and bond with other children at monthly coffee mornings. At the moment, Becca says that Willow has no idea that she is deaf, but as she grows up, the friendships facilitated by Plymouth Deaf Children's Society will ensure she doesn't feel alone.
The doting mum shares a heartwarming insight into Willow's bond with Kathy from Deaf Choices UK, saying she excitedly runs to the door of her nursery when she is being collected for her session with Kathy.
Willow's future
Becca couldn't be prouder of how her daughter is developing, or more grateful to the charity who have opened up their daughter's world and built confidence in Becca and Chris to support Willow as she grows up.
She recalls hearing Willow speak for the first time. "Most parents get that magic first word, but we got a magic first word and magic first sign," she recalls, sharing that Willow first said 'Dadda' and, as a true foodie, first signed 'milk'.
DISCOVER: Exclusive: James and Ola Jordan open up about their milestone trip with Ella, 4, amid health battle
With the support her family has been offered, Becca can look forward to Willow's bright future. "I think thriving is a brilliant word to use with Willow," her mum says. "She is an absolute superstar."
If you would like to learn more or access support, please visit Deaf Choices UK at https://www.deafchoicesuk.com/