Kirsten Robbins

Hearing Loss at an Early Age

Kirsten Robbins’ journey into the D/HH community began at an early age as a result of medication she received as a premature baby. The medication led to hearing loss, and at the age of five, Kristen was fitted with hearing aids. 

Navigating Success in the Classroom

During her primary years, Kristen attended a grade school designed for the deaf and hard of hearing. It was here that Kristen got her start in lip reading and speech class. From middle school through college, however, she participated in general education with few accommodations aside from sitting at the front of the classroom. 

Obstacles and Career Changes

After graduating from the University of Washington, Kirsten took a job with the aerospace company Boeing. The job initially involved a lot of telephone work, but as her hearing deteriorated, she transferred to another position. She left Boeing in 2000 to become a stay-at-home mom. 

Making the Most of Everything

Today, Kirsten has a wealth of experience behind her. She is a mother of two adult children, a substitute paraprofessional, a cook, wife of 26 years, and a member of her local HLAA chapter (Hearing Loss Association of America), among many other things. She started wearing cochlear implants (CI) in 2009, and today she considers her hearing to be fairly normal. Kirsten hopes to learn more ASL to aid her communication with her family and her work in special ed classrooms.

Advice for Future Generations

Kirsten’s advice to anyone who shares a form of hearing loss is to take advantage of all the technology and services available. If she had known that more accommodations were available during her college years, she would have benefited greatly from them. Kirsten recommends joining research studies whose aim is addressing and assisting hearing loss.

During her own journey, she participated as a subject for her CI surgeon’s research team as well as for the University of Washington’s Audiology Department. Kristen believes education and research are important to improving the lives of the D/HH for the next generation. 

 

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