Hi Grey, I’ve never seen a child with Mondini before, but I am curious about the degree of his hearing loss and if it’s one ear/both ears. It must not be as bad as I think if he was recommended hearing aids (as opposed to cochlear implant). It’s not just his academic performance that matters, it’s his speech production and recognition. High frequencies are very important for speech intelligibility (even though he probably has his low frequencies- which gives speech the power/loudness). As far as what what you mean by sticking out to others as a special needs kid… hearing aid technology nowadays is unbelievable, especially for a high frequency loss he can probably be fit with something very tiny that fits behind the ear and a thin clear wire that goes into the canal. The friends probably will not notice. We always tell patients that hearing aids are much less noticeable than a hearing loss. As far as the school/teachers recognizing, it would be to the child’s benefit and possibly let him sit up front to have better access to the teacher’s voice and visual cues that help when there’s competing sound in the room. Classroom acoustics are notoriously bad and we are extra careful when it comes to ensuring hearing with children: their speech isn’t developed enough to be able to fill in the gaps as well, and they aren’t mature enough to know to advocate for themselves when they cannot hear (ie ask someone to repeat what was said or move closer to/face the speaker). Let me know if you have any other questions.

I noticed this too and it’s disconcerting. I started thinking that since I’m holding the door open on my own accord (as opposed to them asking me to hold it open), they feel that don’t have to thank me.

Having a bunch of younger siblings, I know quite well the relief of someone holding the door open for you with a carriage so I’m quick to volunteer… but unfortunately like you said it often goes unappreciated. Seems like a combination of anti-social Brooklyn-ness (like they’re scared to talk to someone who they don’t know) and an attitude of “bishvili nivra ha’olam.”

Nothing like turning the steering wheel with perfectly done fingernails! 😉

As far as “different types,” sometimes I’ll get a design on my ring fingers (one or both), but that costs $1 extra per nail (for a $6 manicure, that’s a pretty significant markup) so I reserve it for special occasions.

I also had a very difficult camper who I only recently discovered is autistic. Not that I’d have known anything about autism as a high schooler, but I wish I’d have been given more guidance instead of just assuming she’s cranky all the time and treating/disciplining her (IN)appropriately.

Watch them get all shy when he calls her for the first time…

How many men are actually becoming talmidei chachamim like you say and therefore staying out of college– and how many are in yeshiva because that’s what’s expected of them and because it’s an easier plan than studying in college.