I have been looking for a doll with hearing aids or cochlear implants for about a year now. Unfortunately, the only one I could find looks kinda creepy. I called the American Girl company too. They make glasses and wheelchairs for their dolls but no hearing devices.
What’s a mom to do? Elisabeth is having surgery again on Monday. She is getting her second implant, the one on the right worked so well for her we decided to do the left ear too. Well actually, she decided. Elisabeth refuses to wear her hearing aid in her left ear if it is turned on. It’s curious, she wears it if it’s off. She also has been trying to put her implant device on her left ear when it falls off the right.
Okay, back to the doll. So, I decided to make my own. Not the doll, I’m not that crafty!
I picked up some pink puff paint in the dollar bins at Michael’s and drew the cochlear implants right on the dolls bald little head. It couldn’t have been easier.
This little doll is from Target in case you’re wondering.
If you use puff paint to make your own cochlear implants or hearing aids be sure you let them dry for at least twenty four hours. I thought it would be dry after twelve, it wasn’t.
Elisabeth may be too out of it right after her surgery to notice the doll has new cochlear implants just like hers. I think I’ll give it to her before we leave.
Go Gurrlll! I love you!!
sharing at https://www.facebook.com/DangerousLinda
Thanks Linda!
That was a very thoughtful thing to do. I hope Elizabeth likes it
http://rimlybezbaruah.blogspot.com/2011/10/as-veil-lifted.html
Thanks Rimly, glad you stopped by!
This is a BRILLIANT idea and Elisabeth will love it. What a clever mom you are! You really should market this.
I ended up doing two dolls and Elisabeth just loved them!
Patty,
I stumbled across your husband’s blog while googling about hearing loss, and his blog led me to yours. My 4 month old daughter has moderate hearing loss. I LOVE the cochlear implants for the doll and I will be taking your idea to make hearing aids on a doll for my daughter this Christmas. You may already know this but just in case – the “build a bear” website offers hearing aids as an optional accessory. Best wishes to you and your beautiful daughter.
Claire
http://claireandfiona.blogspot.com
I appreciate the tip on Build a Bear, it’s nice to know there are some other options out there.
My daughter was just about four months old one year ago, we have learned so much together in the span of a year. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Thanks for stopping by Claire! Good Luck with your daughter’s journey.
Thanks for this idea and the good pictures. I did this last night to one of our baby dolls, it took about 3 minutes and both of my daughters (one implanted and one hearing) loved it! I have posted links to a few sites of parents with CI kids. So simple and so cool! Thanks again!
I’m so glad the puff paint CI’s worked for you and that your girls loved them! Thanks for sharing the link, I’d love for more people to know how easy it is to make CI’s or HA’s for their kids dolls.
This is wonderful! My son is bi-lateral cochlear implant user. His teacher found this and showed it to me. I love it!
Thanks for sharing.
What an awesome idea! My 7 year old just received her second CI at NYU and we were googling accessory options for the N5 and came across this post. I was out buying Puffy Paint at 7 a.m. and doing our first “home surgery” not long after. She asked if she could do this to her American Girl doll…I said no but when we go back to NYC to get activated we will pop into the American Girl doll store as they now have hearing aids for their dolls, hopefully implants are next! Thank you so much for this idea!
My daughter is almost 7yo and she was looking at the American Girl doll in the catalog that now has a hearing aid…but not a cochlear implant. This is a wonderful idea! I can’t wait to do this…Christmas gift in the making! Our daughter was bilaterally implanted at 13 months. It’s been a incredible journey and like you said, we wouldn’t have traded it for anything! God has BIG plans for our Avery!
I ask u question how make hearing aid for signing Sam doll puppet??