It's good to talk says Natalie
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TEENAGE life is already fraught with challenges without coping with the effects of a brain injury from early childhood and battling partial deafness undiagnosed for years.
Elgin Academy pupil, Natalie Smith, is rising to that challenge with the help of Leanne Ross, her speech and language therapist.
Natalie (13) was struck down by chicken pox at the age of two, but it was only in Primary 6 that she was finally diagnosed as having an acquired brain injury.
Even more frustrating for mum, Mary, was the fact that it was only recently that Natalie was also confirmed as having a moderate hearing loss.
The resourceful teenager had remarkably taught herself to lip read, which disguised the fact she couldn’t hear properly.
Now, with the support of therapist Leanne and a funky pair of hearing aids, Natalie is adjusting well to life at secondary school and all the other things that go along with being a teenager.
"Natalie was really ill when she was younger, which caused a lot of problems," said her mum, "but we didn’t really get a diagnosis until eight years after the event."
For years Mary had believed there was an underlying reason for Natalie’s communication and behavioural issues, but struggled to get to the bottom of the situation.
"Natalie would start speaking to you and then all of a sudden change the subject, and phone conversations were a ‘no-no’."
The brain injury impacts on her social skills and that has meant making friends has been difficult. For a long period Natalie would not go out of the house.
However, she has made some good friends at school and is slowly building up her confidence.
"I didn’t really like speaking to people. A lot of people said I was weird and strange. I have two really good friends who think I am funny," said Natalie.
The teenager got a new pair of hearing aids at Christmas which has helped her communicate much better, although at first she was self-conscious about wearing them – but the modern, lightweight design and bright colours makes them more like a fashion accessory.
"It is a slow process but she is getting there," said Mary.
"She will get to the same point as her peers but she just needs extra support to help her."
Natalie excels in art, drama and music which allows her to express herself. Her therapist, Leanne, admitted: "Natalie has been a star and has coped with everything really well.
"When she first came in I gave her a lot of advice on how to communicate and a lot of work on using language.
"She has good language skills and can understand what people are saying; it is just her being aware of how to have a conversation with someone."
For a long time Natalie struggled to cope with conversations and would either be too far away from the person or right in their face. "We have had lots of ups and downs but we are getting there."
Natalie was hit by chicken pox just two months away from her third birthday which meant she had already acquired much of the language and communication skills children need to stand them in good stead for later in life.
"Natalie does really well academically," added Leanne. "It is more about what takes place on her way to classes and at lunch hours."
