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Old 04-10-2009, 03:06 PM   #1
charlene
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Default Ron Jones the Busker

http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/H...969/story.html

Helping the deaf to love music

By Shelagh Stuart and Esther Rausenberg, Vancouver SunDecember 20, 2008

The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children is a non-profit clinical and education centre that provides deaf and hard-of-hearing children with the opportunity to access sound and to develop their listening and speech skills.
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When most people think about deafness they don't automatically think how music can play a big part in a deaf child's life. But today, with the use of assistive electronic devices such as digital hearing aids and cochlear implants, a deaf child can appreciate music more than ever before.

The Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children (VOC) has been offering music therapy for more than 20 years as a part of the educational curriculum. It was at one of these sessions that toddler Rowan Stuart, at 31 months, got his first exposure to what is now one of Rowan's favourite activities -- playing the guitar.

For Rowan's parents, Mark and Shelagh Stuart, his other passion -- basketball -- is not a surprise, but his infatuation with the guitar is. They never imagined that with a pre-cochlear implant, Rowan would acquire an ear for music. Today, they regularly marvel at Rowan's passion for the guitar.

Over the past year, Rowan's parents have been very busy. Rowan's hearing impairment was diagnosed when he was 15 months old.

The family started at the VOC last September when Rowan had only his hearing aids and very little hearing. Even with minimal hearing, he still loved music class because he got to pound on the drum and sometimes even play the guitar.

Rowan got his cochlear implants at 18 months and was "hooked up" three days after his sister, Caroline, was born. Last year, Rowan got his hearing, a baby sister, a drum, shakers and a few CDs. Not too bad for his second Christmas.

During Rowan's first few months with the implants, he cried every morning when they were put on. The first breakthrough was the day the family sang Bah Bah Black Sheep and Rowan ran off to get his Black Sheep book. It was the first sign that he understood something his Mom said. Since then, Shelagh said there has been lots of progress and many of the milestones come with song.

Shelagh once believed kids with cochlear implants don't appreciate music, but now having a little two year-old singer makes her happy she was wrong. One of Rowan's first words was "tatar," meaning to say guitar. He points out guitars every time he sees them and he got his first guitar this past September, only nine months after his implants were turned on. Rowan also loves to watch YouTube and listen to the car radio.

When Shelagh found out Rowan was deaf it was a very sad moment, she said. However, with Rowan's new ability to hear, tears of sadness have turned to tears of joy. In one instance, this past fall, Rowan stood by a busker at Granville Island playing air guitar to a Gordon Lightfoot song and the busker called him his "best audience."

Little did he know the miracle of Rowan's musical appreciation.

The miracle of sound is something that many take for granted. The VOC's committed and trained professionals work hard with deaf children to develop their listening and speech skills. It is an intensive process and a costly one that reaps huge rewards when one sees a child with hearing loss participating fully in a hearing world.

This gift of sound is made possible through the generosity and support we receive from you, Vancouver Sun readers, and the Vancouver Sun Children's Fund.

Shelagh Stuart is Rowan's mother and Esther Rausenberg is the fund development coordinator for the Vancouver Oral Centre for Deaf Children.

Children with special needs benefit year-round from 100 per cent of every dollar given to the Vancouver Sun Children's Fund. Donations may be made with the accompanying coupon, or by calling (604) 605-2426.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
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Old 04-10-2009, 11:05 PM   #2
jj
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Default Re: Ron Jones the Busker

Quote:
Originally Posted by charlene View Post
[url]... this past fall, Rowan stood by a busker at Granville Island playing air guitar to a Gordon Lightfoot song and the busker called him his "best audience."
ahh, that's a wonderful line, Ron... and although initially deflating, what a glorious article to be eternally reference within and associated with...busk onward!

the town nearby has a large deaf population per capital...you see sign language being used frequently as kids hang out on the street corners or while browsing in the mall...i thought it might be potentially useful, challenging and interesting to take on a beginner course with the rest of the family or even just with the kid...i'm too old to learn french or any new tricks
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Old 04-11-2009, 01:52 PM   #3
RM
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Default Re: Ron Jones the Busker

Quote:
Originally Posted by charlene View Post
Rowan stood by a busker at Granville Island playing air guitar to a Gordon Lightfoot song and the busker called him his "best audience."
Did you teach him the air guitar ?
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Old 04-13-2009, 10:33 PM   #4
lighthead2toe
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Default Re: Ron Jones the Busker

It's really a wonderful feeling when things like this happen.

The twelve string guitar I find has a lot to do with the the attention that comes my way and a lot of it is from kids and quite a lot also from those who are less fortunate and have to depend on special care to take them out and around.

It probably has something to do with the full compliment of sound produced by the guitar that is picked up by the ear unbeknownst to parent of the child or the caregiver.

There are many wonderful highlights that come with doing this type of work, and it being a hobby I love every minute.

A big one was the day a seeing eye dog came over to me and dropped a two dollar Canadian coin in my guitar case. That one weakened me in the knees that's for sure.
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