Impact on Quality of Life (QOL)
Challenges in Seeking Services
Jane has heightened awareness of her speech disorder and was afraid people would not understand her. As a result, she did not have access to any services for a long time. In addition to having speech difficulties and the pressure from moving to a new country, Jane experienced low self-efficacy, which could have exacerbated the stress (Schwarzer, 2014).
Impacts of Hearing Loss on QOL
Jane requires powerful over-the-ears hearing aids that she uses on a daily basis, and typically this will result in batteries draining fairly quickly (Oram Cardy, 2015b). She must keep regular maintenance of her hearing aids, because without them she will not hear whether she is pronouncing words properly. Jane describes how it was overwhelming at first to learn how to keep the hearing aids working properly, but now she has become fairly comfortable with it.
Education Aspirations
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Jane is afraid that her speech impediments will make it difficult for her to succeed. Velopharyngeal insufficiency is a condition that can cause disruptions in various domains (Barr, Thibeault, Muntz, & De Serres, 2007). It can negatively disrupt educational development, effective communication, and participation in class activities, which are things that likely will be required in continued educational programs (Barr et al., 2007). Negative experiences with peers in the classroom can lead to poor performance in school (Barr, et al., 2007). This reflects some of Jane’s concerns and barriers to attending university