Lahna is 12 years old and presently in 6th Grade, in a school in the USA. 

 

Lahna loves to play outside, listen to music and play Minecraft video game. Lahna enjoys playing with younger children and being the big girl helper. She also enjoys vacations to Disney world with her family and of course seeing her extended family.

She lives with Mom, Dad (who is currently deployed in the Army over-seas) and one of her 3 big sisters.

Her sisters are 15, 28 and 30.

Lahna has 3 nephews and 1 niece. She has a dog named Bubbles ( it was the first word she could say clearly! ). 

When asking Lahna what she wants to do when she is older, she has expressed many interests, including working with animals and toddlers, but most recently she wants to be a teacher. 

 

Lahna received the diagnosis of Floating Harbor Syndrome at age 3 after a long process of questions and heavy involvement by professionals. Lahna also has she also has  Mondini malformation (hearing loss).

Her family are currently seeking to maintain vital support for Lahna in her classes, however the Education authority are in the process of removing her ASL Interpreter completely. Lahna can hear partially, yet with Mondini malformation, the hearing loss increases over time. Add the Floating Harbor Syndrome and the associated difficulties, and the outcome for Lahna within this environment is not promising at all.

 

Sadly, this has now gone to a Court Tribunal, where Lahna’s fate within school will be decided by Educational professionals, with no knowledge or experience of the difficulties that Lahna endures in her life.

If anyone can offer help or advice to the family, please get in touch and we will pass your details on to the family’s Educational Advocate, Ctaci Killela.