Although his father and one of his son’s suffered from hearing loss as well, indicating it was a genetic condition, there were several incidents in his life that may have made the disability even worse.Įdison suffered from scarlet fever, and it is suspected that he had numerous untreated ear infections since there were no antibiotics available at the time for that condition. While the exact cause is unclear, Edison’s sense of hearing began to decline at the age of 12. One of the country’s most prolific inventors, Thomas Edison achieved great success while suffering from a severe disability for much of his life. Edison credited his mother for shaping the person he became. This set him on a path of constant self-improvement which he continued throughout his life.

He began to realize that his learning possibilities were endless and he could actually teach himself anything he wished. Edison helped him to channel his energy in a positive direction. By teaching her son reading, writing and arithmetic and allowing him to pursue any subject of interest, Mrs. Nancy Edison supported her son’s insatiable thirst for knowledge. Edison quickly removed him from the school and assumed the role of home school educator. Upon learning of this characterization of her son, Edison’s mother was very angry.

He was unable to sit still for very long and was uncomfortable with the school’s rigid environment.Īfter attending school for only 12 weeks, Edison had established himself as a difficult student, and his teacher deemed him unmanageable. Full of curiosity from a very early age, Edison was always asking questions and had difficulty keeping his attention focused on the task at hand. Between his illnesses and his family’s move to Port Huron, Michigan, he was unable to begin school until the age of seven.

Abbyson edison 5 light