Baby born deaf will get 'bionic ears' that could help him hear and talk

[GrendelQ]

Who called Calum's mom audist? Nobody was willing to show where she was called audist so why does this crap continue? PFH asked CSign where that post was and I also asked for it too but nobody was willing to show it.

If you know where that post is, pls refer me to it because I cant find it.

Jillio chose to put this in terms of audism.

I quoted directly what I was referring to when asking that question. I'll ask again. My question corresponds to your explanation of how audism is very often behind the thinking to get CIs. You then followed immediately by saying that Calum's Mom's "thinking behind the reasoning became very clear through the way the thoughts were worded."

I asked, and ask again, are you implying that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist by her words? Or were you implying that Calum's Mom's was clearly revealed not to be audist?

 

[jillio]

Are you implying that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist in something she wrote?

I don't imply. If I have something to say, I say it. You should certainly know that by now.

 

[jillio]

Rubella and varicella can cause deafness, too.

Yes, they can. We aren't so concerned with Rubella anymore, due to vaccines. The rubella hup occured during the 60's. Of course there is always the risk of the odd case cropping up in the unvaccinated population.

But with rubella, as with CMV, once a person has been infected, they have natural antibodies against future infection. CMV will only affect the pregnancy at the time of infection. It will not affect future pregnancies. Also, the child who had the virus transmitted prenatally will never contract the virus, as he/she was born with the antibodies.

So, rather than becoming more prevalent, it will, and is, becoming less prevalent. The vast majority of adults that have reached their 40's carry the antibody. They simply do not know that they had CMV. It manifests as the same symptoms as a case of the flu. So most people have had it, and don't even realize they did. The only time it is a concern is when a pregnant woman who has not had a case of CMV is exposed and the exposure is sufficient enough to cause congenital transmission.

 

[jillio]

Who called Calum's mom audist? Nobody was willing to show where she was called audist so why does this crap continue? PFH asked CSign where that post was and I also asked for it too but nobody was willing to show it.

If you know where that post is, pls refer me to it because I cant find it.

This crap continues because some people have ulterior motives, with no interest in discussing facts.

 

[jillio]

Jillio chose to put this in terms of audism.

I quoted directly what I was referring to when asking that question. I'll ask again. My question corresponds to your explanation of how audism is very often behind the thinking to get CIs. You then followed immediately by saying that Calum's Mom's "thinking behind the reasoning became very clear through the way the thoughts were worded."

I asked, and ask again, are you implying that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist by her words? Or were you implying that Calum's Mom's was clearly revealed not to be audist?

As I said, I did not call anyone an audist, nor did I imply anything. I was responding to DD saying that wanting a child to develop oral skills was not audist. Myreply was that it was not audist, but the belief behind that desire very often was. That applies not just to calum's mum, but to ALL.

Are you actually telling me that audism does not play a role in the decision to have CIs implanted in the majority of the cases?

That again, was a reply to DD stating that perhaps calum's mum has misworded her statement. I maintain, not just calum's mom, but everyone, communicates unspoken messages through the wording they choose.

Really, all of you are trying to take things that are said personally. That really is the issue here, not anything I've said. Every one of the negative responses have come from an all too quick need to jump first and explain later. You really need to drop your defensiveness and your belief that people are always directing things toward you personally. A lot more could be accomplished if that were to happen.

Audism exists. It is a fact of life. And hearing people are socialized from the time of their birth to embrace audist beliefs. That is just the way it is. It only becomes an insult when someone feels the unreasonable need to defend that which they naturally have through their socialization instead of looking at it and correcting it. Oh, well. You can't force people to develop insight or to be introspective and honest.

 

[AlleyCat]

Yes, they can. We aren't so concerned with Rubella anymore, due to vaccines. The rubella hup occured during the 60's. Of course there is always the risk of the odd case cropping up in the unvaccinated population.

But with rubella, as with CMV, once a person has been infected, they have natural antibodies against future infection. CMV will only affect the pregnancy at the time of infection. It will not affect future pregnancies. Also, the child who had the virus transmitted prenatally will never contract the virus, as he/she was born with the antibodies.

So, rather than becoming more prevalent, it will, and is, becoming less prevalent. The vast majority of adults that have reached their 40's carry the antibody. They simply do not know that they had CMV. It manifests as the same symptoms as a case of the flu. So most people have had it, and don't even realize they did. The only time it is a concern is when a pregnant woman who has not had a case of CMV is exposed and the exposure is sufficient enough to cause congenital transmission.

That is so right (the bolded.) It's one thing I've learned about CMV. And, anyone who might even be curious if CMV was a cause for their deafness, a blood test for antibodies would tell you. (The trick is getting your doctor to approve such a test! -- it is known to be expensive, so they generally want to decline a test for insurance purposes unless there's a reason behind it, such as wanting to become pregnant and concerned about hereditary issues.) Not that I would ever be concerned about having a deaf child. Not at all.

 

[CSign]

The facts are this mother got her child a CI and us signing with him. What's the major malfunction?? Why are people giving her a hard time, and fighting over a moot point?? Most everyone is in agreement that signing is a crucial part of a deaf Childs experience. She is signing with him... What's the problem??

 

[jillio]

That is so right (the bolded.) It's one thing I've learned about CMV. And, anyone who might even be curious if CMV was a cause for their deafness, a blood test for antibodies would tell you. (The trick is getting your doctor to approve such a test! -- it is known to be expensive, so they generally want to decline a test for insurance purposes unless there's a reason behind it, such as wanting to become pregnant and concerned about hereditary issues.) Not that I would ever be concerned about having a deaf child. Not at all.

Exactly. And I know my son will not have deaf children, even if he marries a woman with a congenital deaf gene. Now grandchildren would be a different story, but that would have nothing to do with the CMV, but with the fact that his children, on a ratio of 1-4 will carry a congenital gene for deafness and could marry another person with that same congenital gene.

 

[jillio]

The facts are this mother got her child a CI and us signing with him. What's the major malfunction?? Why are people giving her a hard time, and fighting over a moot point?? Most everyone is in agreement that signing is a crucial part of a deaf Childs experience. She is signing with him... What's the problem??

So, you think getting a CI and some signing in the home are the only issues that parents need to address?

 

[GrendelQ]

I don't imply. If I have something to say, I say it. You should certainly know that by now.

It's a very direct question, corresponding to the statement you just made.

You explained that audism is "very often" behind the thinking to develop oral skills. You then said that Calum's Mom's "thinking behind the reasoning became very clear through the way the thoughts were worded." Your statement left it unclear if you believe that what became clear to you was audism behind her thinking or not.

I don't want to infer your meaning incorrectly, and so I'm using your own terms, asking you to clarify what can be taken in either direction: what became clear to you? Do you think that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist by the wording she used? Or not audist?

 

[Beowulf]

Are you implying that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist in something she wrote?

Yes. I can read. What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? Oh yeah, I can think as well, so I got the meaning.

 

[jillio]

It's a very direct question, corresponding to the statement you just made.

You explained that audism is "very often" behind the thinking to develop oral skills. You then said that Calum's Mom's "thinking behind the reasoning became very clear through the way the thoughts were worded." Your statement left it unclear if you believe that what became clear to you was audism behind her thinking or not.

I don't want to infer your meaning incorrectly, and so I'm using your own terms, asking you to clarify what can be taken in either direction: what became clear to you? Do you think that Calum's Mom's thinking was revealed to be audist by the wording she used? Or not audist?

And I answered your question. I stated that I did not imply anything. If I have something to say, I will say it outright. If I felt the need to tell calum's mum she was an audist, I would have done so on the first page of this thread. I did not do it there, nor have I done it in any of the subsequent pages.

Am I saying that hearing parents have ingrained, socialized audist beliefs? Yes I am. It is the result of having been socialized in a hearing society. Do we see the same audist belief system in HOH and deaf that have been socialized in hearing society as opposed to being exposed to Deaf culture? Yes, we do.

The good news is, that if anyone wishes to investigate the nature of those unconscious attitudes and the way they guide our decision making process they are free to do so. Too many, however, spend too much time defending and not enough time taking an honest look.

 

[jillio]

Yes. I can read. What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? Oh yeah, I can think as well, so I got the meaning.

And that is not an implication. It is a direct statement with very clear meaning. Don't know why people seem to need to attribute some sort of sneakiness behind posts.

 

[GrendelQ]

Yes. I can read. What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? Oh yeah, I can think as well, so I got the meaning.

"What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? " ==> I'll say it too. My child will have a life different from yours. Unless you too are a deaf Chinese 5 YO living in my home in 2011, going to my child's ASL-based deaf school, using ASL in the home, in school, with peers, riding horses, wearing 2 CIs, taking kung fu, Skyping with faraway family members and friends, influenced by Avatar, and so on, and so on. In which case, you'll then have a lot in common, but even so, your lives will still be different. Her life won't be anything like mine was ages ago, either. And it won't be anything like the neighbor's 5YO's life is. That's not audism. Our children are growing up in a very different world from that which you and I grew up in.

 

[Beowulf]

"What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? " ==> I'll say it too. My child will have a life different from yours. Unless you too are a deaf Chinese 5 YO living in my home in 2011, going to my child's ASL-based deaf school, using ASL in the home, in school, with peers, riding horses, wearing 2 CIs, taking kung fu, Skyping with faraway family members and friends, influenced by Avatar, and so on, and so on. In which case, you'll then have a lot in common, but even so, your lives will still be different. Her life won't be anything like mine was ages ago, either. And it won't be anything like the neighbor's 5YO's life is. That's not audism. Our children are growing up in a very different world from that which you and I grew up in.

Ummm, keep in mind your child's life will be very different from yours. Does that bother you?

 

[Babyblue]

Yes. I can read. What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? Oh yeah, I can think as well, so I got the meaning.

Perhaps the difference is.... That her child will be able to hear.

 

[jillio]

"What is it when someone says her child will have a life different from ours? " ==> I'll say it too. My child will have a life different from yours. Unless you too are a deaf Chinese 5 YO living in my home in 2011, going to my child's ASL-based deaf school, using ASL in the home, in school, with peers, riding horses, wearing 2 CIs, taking kung fu, Skyping with faraway family members and friends, influenced by Avatar, and so on, and so on. In which case, you'll then have a lot in common, but even so, your lives will still be different. Her life won't be anything like mine was ages ago, either. And it won't be anything like the neighbor's 5YO's life is. That's not audism. Our children are growing up in a very different world from that which you and I grew up in.

No doubt she will have a different life from mine. The point is, each generation has differences that were not evident in the previous generation. But when it comes to something like deafness, there are similarities and sameness that occur, and have been occurring with each generation since we have been studying the psychosocial impact of deafness on the individual. That is because the social structure and the presence of institutional audism is ever present.

Want your child to have a different life from previous generations of deaf? Fight audism and change societal structure. An implant is not going to do that. And, since societal change takes time, even though the effort is necessary, the best way to fight the negative aspects are to be aware that they are there and prepare your child to face them and deal with them.

You know, the African American culture prepares their children to understand that racism is simply a fact of our society. They teach their children the skills they need to deal with that fact, and they provide, as a culture, protective insulation against that which their children will face...not might, but will. It is not a judgement statement, it is not that their children don't have differences that the parents did not have. It is the fact that society is what it is, and the best thing you can do for your child is to give them a perspective that allows for reality.

When it comes to audism, hearing parents have never faced it. They cannot prepare their children for that reality, and to deny its existence or to believe that technology is all that is needed to combat it is naive. Let the Deaf community guide you in providing that insulation and skill set that the deaf child will need.

 

[Beowulf]

Perhaps the difference is.... That her child will be able to hear.

Unlikely. The infant is deaf.

 

[CSign]

So, you think getting a CI and some signing in the home are the only issues that parents need to address?

Yes. Those are the only issues that need to be addressed and everything will be peaches and cream after that.

 

[GrendelQ]

Ummm, keep in mind your child's life will be very different from yours. Does that bother you?

? No. Not at all.

What's really odd is that it seems as if some people take that as an insult.