JUST TO ADD A SPANNER TO THE WORKS, DO ANY EX-PATS HAVE ADVICE RE
THIS PRE EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITION? HE IS 7 YRS OLD AND BEEN DIAGNOSED FOR A YEAR, HE WEARS HEARING AIDS AND IS STILL IN MAINSTREAM SCHOOL AND DOING EXTREMELY WELL. HE LOST HIS HEARING VIA A VIRUS (IN CASE YOU WANTED TO ASK!) ANY ADVICE PLS RE SCHOOLS
POLICY OF INCLUSION, AMERICAN POLICY RE DISABLED CHILDREN, MEDICAL COVER ETC!
THANKS

He may be deaf, but we ain't.

I just knew someone was going to say that!

PERHAPS YOU WOULDNT BE SO RUDE IF IT WAS YOUR SON. I WAS RECCOMENDED TO THIS WEBSITE. HOW WRONG I WAS!

please stop typing in capitals - its considered VERY rude as its like shouting(on ANY internet site - not just here). If you type normally people will be far more willing to read.

Each state and school district governs its school policies differently. Since your son seems to be doing well in a mainstream school, most schools would probably encorage you to keep him in a mainstream school. However, most metropolitan areas have public schools for the hearing impared if his condition worsens. If you know the area that you are thinking of residing, a document of that school district policies may be able to be found.

Some medical insurance plans do not cover hearing aids (probably most plans don't cover hearing aids).

Apologies for typing in capitals! Habit for my job! Thank you Michael, I will look into the options when we arrive in the Spring, as well as on-line. Interesting they dont cover hearing aids, again i will look into further.
Thanks

Phew! Thank goodness for that. What is your job?

Caps lock tester

Zing!

I suggest you follow your own advice and stop being so condescending!

I thought she was being very polite and informative.

Ditto. She was politely pointing out how typing in caps is incredibly bad 'netiquette' to a newbie - would you prefer she was rude about it?!?

yeah. it's much funnier.

As a person with a profound hearing loss and the daughter of a man who had the same condition as did his sisters, I can tell you that hearing aids are not covered under MOST insurance policies. HOWEVER, there are policies that will add a provision for the coverage of hearing aids but the additional premium involved does not make it cost efficient.

Hearing aids will cost between $900 to $5,000 per aid. The cost will be determined by the manufacturer, digital vs. analog, etc. There are hospitals and city/state programs that will provide some financial assistance if you qualify.

Also not covered are repairs, batteries, accessories, i.e. moisture control appartus, tubing, etc.

The majority of companies will provide what is known as Flex-Spending Accounts which allow you to elect said amount of money per tax year to the coverage of medical and dental expeditures not covered by your healthcare/dental policies. For example, say you elect to have $1,000 take out of your pay check over the course of the year. This $1,000 is taken before taxes so you can no longer use that sum as a tax deduction. When you incur a charge for something not covered by your policies, i.e. the hearing aid, batteries, you get a bill on the appropriate letterhead with detailed info on what it was for and submit it to the Flex-Spending company who will reimburse you for the charge. Bear in mind it is your own money being given back to you but it is money that is non-taxable.

You will find that large cities usually have good schools for the handicapped although many of the students are not handicapped but mentally challenged by laziness. In a certain fluent city in Westchester County, NY the students whose parents want them to go to Ivy League colleges will have their child placed in a special ed class. The reasoning is that the child will not have to work as hard to obtain an "A" and the school is not required to denote on the student's transcript that the classes attended were special ed classes.