BUSINESS REACHES OUT WITH THE GIFT OF HEARING TO CHILDREN

A 7-year-old Cape Girardeau girl has changed dramatically from a "big grouch" to a mature little girl with improved speech and attitude, said her mother.

"Other kids used to shun her," her mother said. "But now she's just like a normal kid."

At the age of 3, the girl, Alisha Schwartz, daughter of Robert and Lisa Schwartz, could only say a few words and wouldn't turn around when her name was called.

Eventually her doctor put tubes in her ears when he found an excess of fluid. He said she suffered from hearing loss resulting from nerve damage.

Alisha's life changed when she received her first hearing aid at the age of 4. She can't hear anything without the hearing aid, her mother said.

However, not all problems were solved because the family still needed financial help with the medical bills.

Last year her grandmother became concerned that the 3-year-old hearing aid was too small, so she contacted a Cape Girardeau business that participates in a nationwide effort to help children who have hearing impairments.

The Miracle-Ear Center, 1465 N. Kingshighway, is actively involved with the Children's Foundation, which donates hearing aids to children under 16 whose families can't afford the medical expenses.

"When we went to Miracle-Ear, they immediately tested Alisha's hearing," said her mother, "and decided her hearing devices should be updated.

"They fitted her for a different hearing mode about the first of July, and she will receive a new hearing aid in two weeks."

Her parents were required to fill out a form for their daughter at Miracle-Ear. The form was sent to the Children's Foundation.

"When the foundation sent us a letter saying we had qualified, we immediately made an appointment," her mother said. "From the beginning they've been very helpful."

After the preliminary office visit, Miracle-Ear has provided free fittings, follow-up examinations and a hearing aid for Alisha.

"The Children's Foundation is for working families ineligible for assistance through programs like Medicaid," said Joyce Hill, a registered nurse and Miracle-Ear Center franchisee.

Candidates for the Children's Foundation need a physician's referral before Miracle-Ear Centers can fit them for hearing aids.

"We don't diagnose them," Hill said. "We do the fitting and provide follow-up exams."

She said physicians in some areas donate their services. "We'd like for the local physicians to volunteer their services for the examinations, or for organizations like the Lions Club to cover those expenses," said Hill.

The Cape Girardeau Lion's Club has donated toward the physician's fees in some cases, she said.

Hill said the Miracle-Ear Center makes sure that the hearing equipment is up-to-date and fits properly.

"When Alisha's shoe size changes her ear mode must be changed also," her mother said.

At school, a hearing device called an auditory trainer allows Alisha to be directly connected with her teacher so that background noise is eliminated.

"If I have any problems at the school with Alisha's care, I can contact Miracle-Ear and they'll help me," her mother said.

Also, when Schwartz watches television she can hook up a hearing device that blocks out background noise.

Hill said there are several reasons for bad hearing.

"It can be a congenital problem, chronic exposure to a virus, medication or recurring ear infections," she said. "However, nerve damage is the most common reason for permanent loss."

Although the family only recently applied for a hearing aid through the Children's Foundation, the program has been in place since September 1990.

The Cape Girardeau Miracle-Ear Center was a part of the Children's Foundation from its inception and has now served two local children.

The foundation was set up by Dahlberg Electronics Inc., the parent company of Miracle-Ear Centers.

Dahlberg accepts private contributions to the Children's Foundation, but most of the support for the program comes from the company itself, said Karen Turner, executive director of the foundation.

Nationwide, approximately 240 children have received hearing aids from the Children's Foundation, Turner said. Only 15 of those were served in Missouri, she said.

"Our immediate challenge is spreading the word nationwide so we can find more kids to help," Turner said.

Families with children needing help should call the Cape Girardeau Miracle-Ear Center at 335-5510 or the Children's Foundation at 1-800-234-5422.