Nutmeg has helped William sleep, learn, and look towards a bright, happy future

Nutmeg made it! He is a hearing dog!

He’s helping William, aged 12, who has been deaf from birth. William found deafness difficult to accept, as it affected all aspects of his young life. Nutmeg has helped William sleep, learn, and look towards a bright, happy future – as every child should.

The partnership begins

William and his twin Oliver were born three months premature, which caused their deafness. “I worried that they might never be able to communicate, go to school, have jobs, families – all the things a parent wishes for their children,” says Debbie, their mother.

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“So, I gave up my teaching job to help them talk and learn. I received support from audiologists and speech and language therapists. It was a very stressful time for all of us, but we worked together to help the boys.”

When twins started school, Oliver settled in but William had somewhat more difficulty. Recurrent ear infections had reduced his hearing further, and operations also meant he couldn’t wear his hearing aid for long periods. So he’d become more socially isolated, and found it hard to turn this around at school.

“He played on his own and would come home in tears,” says Debbie. “He asked me why he was deaf. He was grieving. I just held him, to try and make it better.

“I felt I’d lost William. He would disappear into himself, avoiding eye contact. It was heartbreaking.”

William then developed problems sleeping, because darkness and deafness combined to make him feel insecure. Without sleep, everything was affected – his interaction, his schoolwork, everything. William also started having night terrors. Debbie knew she had to do something to help him.

Then Debbie found out about Hearing Dogs… and Nutmeg bounded into their lives.

Life with Nutmeg

Debbie smiles. “William has come out of his shell again. He’s not lonely any more. He has friends. He tells jokes. He’s happy at school – at last.”

Why is this? “Nutmeg is his faithful friend. He’s there waiting when William gets in. He’s there when William goes to sleep, so William knows he’s safe, he’s being watched over, and sleeps much better. That’s fixed a lot of things because he just has energy the next day. The night terrors have stopped too.”

Alarm clocks never used to work with William – but Nutmeg does! “From the moment Nutmeg happily ‘bounces’ William awake, throughout the day alerting him when I need him, or telling him about other important sounds in the home, Nutmeg is his ‘ears’. William’s much more connected to the world around him now.

“It’s also been great to see William’s caring side come through. He takes Nutmeg for walks and meets people. He grooms Nutmeg, trains him, looks after him. They look after each other!”

Of course, Nutmeg helps Oliver too. But it was William who really needed a Nutmeg in his life, and who has benefited most from this ‘big softy’ as Debbie calls him.

Debbie concludes: “Nutmeg’s made a huge difference to me and my husband too. We worry less, and see a future for them as they grow into confident young men. Now, we’re loving family life with Nutmeg. For example, we can go to restaurants with Nutmeg happy at our feet, watching life go by.”

Nutmeg’s sponsor journey ends here, but his lifetime journey with William has just begun. He’s already made a huge difference to William’s life, and also helped his twin Oliver, and his entire family. You made this possible by supporting him. We are all so very grateful.

Deafness is rising, and demand for hearing dogs is great. It would be wonderful if you could consider sponsoring another puppy. However you decide, from all of us… it’s a massive, Nutmeg-sized thank you.