Barton applied for a grant to replace the hearing aids. After a ream of paperwork and an eight-month wait, she received a registered letter telling her the application was denied. Barton's heart sank. All the time, she said she was led to believe getting the grant was virtually a done deal. "They told us everything looked good, and we waited and waited, then didn't get it," she said.

One doctor suggested she appeal the decision. "But I said no. I've already waited eight months. All this time it was like sending my son to school without pencil and paper. I've just got to find another way to do it," said Barton. "I put it in my prayer book and I have been trusting in God."

One day Barton went to St. Patrick's School in Phenix City, which Matthew attends, to learn why Matthew missed the eighth-graders' field trip. While telling Principal Ginger Morris about Matthew's hearing loss and being without hearing aids, the mother broke into tears.

"It's something a parent shouldn't have to see a child go through," Barton said. "Matthew doesn't hear and a lot of people don't realize that. I've seen him become not as sociable as he should be. And it's because he gets into his own little world. He can't hear what's going on around him, so he just tends to feel sort of like an outcast."

Within an hour after that conversation, Morris called saying they'd found a way for Matthew to get hearing aids.

As it turns out, Morris called the Rev. Tom Weise, pastor of St. Patrick's Church, who said he asked around his congregation and was told about David Dishman, a Columbus hearing aid specialist.

Dishman said when he learned about Matthew, he was immediately interested because of all the opportunities in Matthew's future. Youngsters who can't hear can't avail themselves of these opportunities, he said.

Dishman donated the time it took to test Matthew's hearing and to fit him for new hearing aids. He said Starkui, a hearing aid manufacturer, donated the two hearing aids, which cost more than $4,000.

Barton said Matthew has lost 60 percent of his hearing, and it seems to be getting worse as he grows older. And Dishman said Matthew can't hear any sound lower than 70 decibels.

But Dishman said technical improvements in all electronics have shown up in hearing aid technology.

"Hearing aids are 100 percent digital. We can do things we wouldn't have been able to do two years ago," said Dishman, who has been fitting people for hearing aids for 18 years. "I feel Matthew will be able to understand 90-95 percent of what he hears."

People with hearing loss can hear, but they can't understand. Electronics, however, help transfer sound effectively, Dishman said.
Matthew's hearing loss was discovered when he was 5.

A preschool teacher suggested his mother have his hearing tested.
He had some hearing loss and started wearing hearing aids when he was in kindergarten.

Over the years, Matthew has had additional hearing loss, Barton said.
As a toddler Matthew had bouts with high fevers and ear infections, which his mother believes resulted in hearing loss.
"But we really don't know for certain why Matthew lost his hearing," she said.

Dishman said parents can detect possible hearing problems in their children.

Signs include: Children not paying attention when they are spoken to; pulling or poking at their ears; or speaking loudly to hear their own voice.

"Thirty million people have hearing problems. And we are able to help so many more people with high frequency hearing loss. They are the people who hear vowels -- a-e-i-o-u -- but have a hard time hearing soft sounds like 'b,' " said Dishman, whose oldest patient is 101.
Dishman, 67, also has first-hand knowledge of hearing loss. At 42 he began losing his hearing.

"My gift to young people is the gift of hearing," said Dishman, who also wears hearing aids.

Matthew's mother said Matthew's gift should arrive in about two weeks, but she's already celebrating.

By Kaffie Sledge
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/13477652.htm