Hiiii,

I'm Nadia Clarke, I have cerebral palsy, this happened because when I was born there was not enough oxygen going to my brain the doctors did not find out until I was 15 months old. The day after my parents found out we went on a family holiday to Cornwall – CP never stopped me eating lovely ice creams! When I was 2 we found out I am Deaf, psychologists came to my house 3 different times, they thought I was hearing. When I was in nursery they realised I didn’t listen to stories and copy other children, I went to hospital the doctor checked my ear, he told mum I can hear road works, (THEY ARE VERY NOISY!) my mum cried because I can’t hear her sing – which is a good thing – she can’t sing! Hahaha. 

I had cochlear implant surgery when I was 5, I hated it at first for 2 weeks I really didn’t like it- it was a big change. I used sign language and then I also started learning to use AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication) my mum went to a conference and found out lots of information, I was the first Deaf child to use a Dynavox communication device but it was hard work I had to learn what all the words mean in English before I could use them correctly, it was a struggle.