As more toddlers get cochlear implants, they face a strange new world

So what is a "good" reason for giving a child a CI? We simply wanted to stop the progression of her hearing loss, and have her regain the ability to hear her name when called. We had no idea she would gain more benefit than that. She never had when she was hoh with her aids. We were taken by complete surprise by her results.

So, if that is a bad reason, what is an acceptable one?
 
I'm just concern for all those parents who will listen to FJ and these kids will end up being hurt because parents really do think it is a cure it all.

Right now, kids are naive. Once they hit adult age, they realize how difficult it is to satisfy hearing people. They will look back in their past and some of them probably be disgusted how they were raised and how shocking they supported it.

People thought my sister and I were doing great. from a hearing view, they think we are thriving wonderfully and making friends and communicate well with our hearing peers. But my sister and I are shredding everything how we were raised.
 
Lighthouse77 said:
I'm just concern for all those parents who will listen to FJ and these kids will end up being hurt because parents really do think it is a cure it all.

Right now, kids are naive. Once they hit adult age, they realize how difficult it is to satisfy hearing people. They will look back in their past and some of them probably be disgusted how they were raised and how shocking they supported it.

People thought my sister and I were doing great. from a hearing view, they think we are thriving wonderfully and making friends and communicate well with our hearing peers. But my sister and I are shredding everything how we were raised.
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How is it bad to advocate for ASL for all kids??? How is that bad advice and a bad road? How would it hurt a child for a parent to follow that advice?
 
Lighthouse77 said:
I'm just concern for all those parents who will listen to FJ and these kids will end up being hurt because parents really do think it is a cure it all.

Right now, kids are naive. Once they hit adult age, they realize how difficult it is to satisfy hearing people. They will look back in their past and some of them probably be disgusted how they were raised and how shocking they supported it.

People thought my sister and I were doing great. from a hearing view, they think we are thriving wonderfully and making friends and communicate well with our hearing peers. But my sister and I are shredding everything how we were raised.
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that's not our problem, isn't it? Every parents will make both good and bad decisions for their children. We have no place in their parental decision.
 
sallylou said:
I don't have an agenda. I'm not pro or anti CI.

Jiro, I have supported FJ's decision to use ASL. If you look on some other threads, I have commented that I respect FJ for this decision and know that her daughter will benefit from it. Not many parents are willing to do that.
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you know I'm not talking about you. Just those who are bitter of FJ.

sallylou said:
Must go, child having melt down!!!!
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oh dear oh dear...
 
faire_jour said:
So what is a "good" reason for giving a child a CI? We simply wanted to stop the progression of her hearing loss, and have her regain the ability to hear her name when called. We had no idea she would gain more benefit than that. She never had when she was hoh with her aids. We were taken by complete surprise by her results.

So, if that is a bad reason, what is an acceptable one?
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faire_jour said:
Where have I ever said that? And who is "we"?
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I have read some of your posts in other threads long while back. I can understand their anger against you because your reasoning behind Kat's situation is that the ability to hear equals a better success in life than deafie on deaf path.

Maybe it's true. Maybe not.
 
I understand that FJ advocates for both but like Lighthouse said, other hearing parents may take her words literally and expect the same results and ignore ASL. Then their children end up with language delays and deficients. I have seen and met too many parents who try to compare their deaf children to others or use their deaf children as a poster child. Growing up, many hearing people assumed that my brother was low functioning because he couldnt develop oral skills like I could but the truth was that my brother is very very very intelligent. You could see it obviously by chatting with him via ASL. We need to advocate for those who dont have any oral skills instead of focusing on how much deaf children can hear or can speak. There are so many deaf children out there who are being underserviced because of the obsession over them being able to hear and speak. *no, I am not referring to you, FJ..I am referring to ignorant hearing people especially those in the medical field*

I just get sick and tired of those views and sometimes reading or hearing about how successful a child is with a CI can cloud hearing people's judgement on those who werent successful with them.

Anyone remember that CI doctor who said that ASL was for the older deaf people and that the next generation of deaf children do not need ASL in one thread? That is VERY dangerous thinking and as a professional, he had no right to say something like that. Most hearing people will think that way and as a result, many deaf children are the ones who pay the price.
 
that's exactly what I am saying. I am proud of FJ for providing both world for her child.

But I wanted to make sure parents are aware from a deaf point of view who grew up that Verbal speech is the only way.
 
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it still ultimately comes to the parents' decision whether a child should get a CI or not. There is nothing in that area that we can change.

However, we can make an influence on CI doctors and such professionals by making the Deaf culture and ASL a part of their license training.
 
firetop said:
it still ultimately comes to the parents' decision whether a child should get a CI or not. There is nothing in that area that we can change.

However, we can make an influence on CI doctors and such professionals by making the Deaf culture and ASL a part of their license training.
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And make sure to show them WHY their children need both. Explain why, even if they get great access to spoken language and are age appropriate, ASL will be good for them.

The best way to approach it is to show why ASL is great, the wonderful benefits a child can get, NOT why CI's don't work. Parents have seen that CI's do work, and so they won't believe it. They need to hear why ASL is great in addition to spoken language, not instead of.
 
souggy said:
What I always find amusing is that parents usually start out "my child is deaf... look like I am going to have to learn sign language," but as soon as doctors give them alternative options, then the oral-only approach rears its ugly head...

Might be one of those cases where being educated hurts more than it benefits...
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If a parent elects a CI for their child then naturally they would opt for an oral route. Why else go through the risks of surgury and the expense of a CI? My only comment would be to ensure you have a plan B in the event the CI is of no benefit.
 
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rockdrummer said:
If a parent elects a CI for their child the naturally they would opt for an oral route. Why else go through the risks of surgury and the expense of a CI? My only comment would be to ensure you have a plan B in the event the CI is of no benefit.
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true, and what's the harm of allowing your child with CI learn ASL if CI can be as good as hearing? My son learned alittle bit of spanish since Junior Kindergarten (he is learning French this year (3rd grade) and seem to love it) but it didn't stop him from speaking and writing English.

Are professionals still telling parents not to allow their CI children to learn ASL or they will never speak? if so, it make me wonder maybe CI is not as good. (personally, I felt my CI sound the same as my hearing aids but little more clearer and crisper, not perfect though but pretty good)
 
rockdrummer said:
If a parent elects a CI for their child then naturally they would opt for an oral route. Why else go through the risks of surgury and the expense of a CI? My only comment would be to ensure you have a plan B in the event the CI is of no benefit.
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I disagree. I think that a CI is just a tool for children who don't benefit from hearing aids. Having a hearing aid doesn't mean that the child is oral only, why would the CI?
 
sorry for being ignorant... but how would a CI continue to benefit against children's natural growth? The skull and ears get bigger... the CI don't...
 
firetop said:
sorry for being ignorant... but how would a CI continue to benefit against children's natural growth? The skull and ears get bigger... the CI don't...
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Because all it is... is just an implant that stimulate the nerves. Nothing more. You don't need to replace the implants, just the exterior components.
 
souggy said:
"Exception to the rule."
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I don't believe I am the only parent who does it. Look at:

The ASL-Cochlear Implant Community

We are not the majority, but I'm not alone.

Modern Day Heroes

This is another family in Utah.

I went to an AG Bell conference and they had a panel, and the panelist was the mother of an 11 year old with a CI, and she said that they had used sign in childhood. "Anything to help communicate", she said.

I'm not the only person. At my daughter's bi-bi school there were 3 CI's just in her class, and 2 more in the grade above. And these kids weren't "failures", they used spoken language AND ASL.
 
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