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

[Jane B.]

You may find that a lot of us old deaf people who went through the mainstream feel a lot like Bebonang.

I am in no position to know being a single older woman with no kids. At the time I was in school I still had one normal ear and sitting close to where the teacher was going to be speaking from most of the time (for some that was the front, others the side of the classroom) was enough.

But . . . I question if mainstream NOW is STILL what it was years ago. I think you could well be comparing "apples to oranges" as the saying goes.

 

[Bottesini]

I am in no position to know being a single older woman with no kids. At the time I was in school I still had one normal ear and sitting close to where the teacher was going to be speaking from most of the time (for some that was the front, others the side of the classroom) was enough.

But . . . I question if mainstream NOW is STILL what it was years ago. I think you could well be comparing "apples to oranges" as the saying goes.

I was actually talking about the fact that technology does not make a hearing person, more than the educational setting.

I am aware that there are some very good dhh programs in public schools.

 

[Calums mum]

You may find that a lot of us old deaf people who went through the mainstream feel a lot like Bebonang.

I appreciate that, but not everyones experiences are the same. The new technology that is now available is opening up lots of doors for children who are deaf, and allowing them EARLY access to sound and therapy - this wasn't available or provided years ago, (and unfortunately in some cases is still not happening now). Obviously I appreciate not everyone wants their child to have the hearing technologies and I completely appreciate and understand that and their children should get education from a school where signing is the main form of communication, not an 'added extra'.

Some posters on here are saying their mainstream school didn't have extra support for them, or have any other deaf children when I'm clearing saying that this mainstream school has other deaf children, they have teachers of the deaf and lots of extra support. You are all, quite rightly, wanting change for deaf children in eduation - in my area we have that and I've seen it in action and it's wonderful! Surely this is to be praised????

 

[Bottesini]

I appreciate that, but not everyones experiences are the same. The new technology that is now available is opening up lots of doors for children who are deaf, and allowing them EARLY access to sound and therapy - this wasn't available or provided years ago, (and unfortunately in some cases is still not happening now). Obviously I appreciate not everyone wants their child to have the hearing technologies and I completely appreciate and understand that and their children should get education from a school where signing is the main form of communication, not an 'added extra'.

Some posters on here are saying their mainstream school didn't have extra support for them, or have any other deaf children when I'm clearing saying that this mainstream school has other deaf children, they have teachers of the deaf and lots of extra support. You are all, quite rightly, wanting change for deaf children in eduation - in my area we have that and I've seen it in action and it's wonderful! Surely this is to be praised????

This would better be answered by a TOD, of whom we have several.

 

[Babyblue]

I appreciate that, but not everyones experiences are the same. The new technology that is now available is opening up lots of doors for children who are deaf, and allowing them EARLY access to sound and therapy - this wasn't available or provided years ago, (and unfortunately in some cases is still not happening now). Obviously I appreciate not everyone wants their child to have the hearing technologies and I completely appreciate and understand that and their children should get education from a school where signing is the main form of communication, not an 'added extra'.

Some posters on here are saying their mainstream school didn't have extra support for them, or have any other deaf children when I'm clearing saying that this mainstream school has other deaf children, they have teachers of the deaf and lots of extra support. You are all, quite rightly, wanting change for deaf children in eduation - in my area we have that and I've seen it in action and it's wonderful! Surely this is to be praised????

I think you are making a choice for your childs best interest. You have done your reserch and is doing your best to make your sons quality of life better. I do not see anything wrong with what you are doing for your child.

 

[Foxrac]

Congratulations! You made an informed decision to the best of your ability. I was very fortunate to have a dedicated mother who helped me hear and speak with my hearing aid but that was back during the 1960s and things have changed considerably since then. Keep up the good work! And involve your son as much as you can.

Yup because you are HOH and much easy to learn the oral language with hearing aids when you were younger. It will be different story if you were profoundly deaf like me and extremely difficult to learn the oral language, especially in 1960's doesn't have any of options and almost all deaf people were served at deaf school as only option before mainstream education in hearing school became widely available in 1970's.

There is CI that enable profoundly deaf people to hear so enough to understand the words and must be learn during early childhood or become more difficult in later if not. That's not 100% guaranteed because I do know some CI users have to use ASL after failed with oral language or not use as effective communication methods.

 

[jillio]

I am in no position to know being a single older woman with no kids. At the time I was in school I still had one normal ear and sitting close to where the teacher was going to be speaking from most of the time (for some that was the front, others the side of the classroom) was enough.

But . . . I question if mainstream NOW is STILL what it was years ago. I think you could well be comparing "apples to oranges" as the saying goes.

Nope. Still pretty much the same, if not worse.

 

[jillio]

I was actually talking about the fact that technology does not make a hearing person, more than the educational setting.

I am aware that there are some very good dhh programs in public schools.

Yep. Some self contained programs. However, the full integration programs...well, you know what I think about that topic.

 

[kokonut]

I think you are making a choice for your childs best interest. You have done your research and is doing your best to make your sons quality of life better. I do not see anything wrong with what you are doing for your child.

Well said.

 

[jillio]

Speech and language development mainly.

Speech, perhaps.

But, the research also shows that he will not catch up with his peers (hearing) in several domains if he is not provided visual access along with his CI.

 

[jillio]

You don't need to get through to me. I find your post quite offensive to me, as well as judgemental. I have already addressed the education issues in my previous post. Your experiences are not everyones experiences. You are judging my child as being only 'deaf' rather than an individual. I also feel that you are judging me to be only 'hearing'.

With regard to this comment: How can he remember what sounds was like?

I don't want him to 'remember' - you're not gracing me with much intelligence. I want him to 'learn' to listen. I'm teaching him signing as I've already explained. I am hearing - you seem to be saying that as I am hearing I can't possibly understand what he is going through. I'm unsure that this is true - I have adapted the way I communicate with and am actively encouraging my family to do the same. If I give him the confidence now to tell me his opinions when he's older then I really can't do anymore than that. In my opinion you should be supporting Mum's like me.:roll:

You know, I too, am a hearing mom with a deaf son. And I can say without a doubt that I have never been able to know, without a doubt and from a first person perspective, what my son goes through on a daily basis. Only another deaf person can know that.

I can, however, strive to understand from my own hearing perspective by listening without question to what the D/deaf tell me about that experience.

 

[jillio]

I appreciate that, but not everyones experiences are the same. The new technology that is now available is opening up lots of doors for children who are deaf, and allowing them EARLY access to sound and therapy - this wasn't available or provided years ago, (and unfortunately in some cases is still not happening now). Obviously I appreciate not everyone wants their child to have the hearing technologies and I completely appreciate and understand that and their children should get education from a school where signing is the main form of communication, not an 'added extra'.

Some posters on here are saying their mainstream school didn't have extra support for them, or have any other deaf children when I'm clearing saying that this mainstream school has other deaf children, they have teachers of the deaf and lots of extra support. You are all, quite rightly, wanting change for deaf children in eduation - in my area we have that and I've seen it in action and it's wonderful! Surely this is to be praised????

You do realize don't you, that the same has been said about each new technological advance? And to date, that technology has never once been able to remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness. In fact, it has generally created more psychosocial negative consequences.

 

[Jane B.]

You do realize don't you, that the same has been said about each new technological advance? And to date, that technology has never once been able to remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness. In fact, it has generally created more psychosocial negative consequences.

Jillo, if I remember correctly you are in the United States. I just checked the first post in this thread and believe this family is in the United Kingdom as the money was in Pounds and the location names seem to fit that as well.

There is bound to be differences as to how ANYTHING is handled in different countries.

You also seem to be so quick to condemm anything other than your way of thinking.

 

[jillio]

Jillo, if I remember correctly you are in the United States. I just checked the first post in this thread and believe this family is in the United Kingdom as the money was in Pounds and the location names seem to fit that as well.

There is bound to be differences as to how ANYTHING is handled in different countries.

You also seem to be so quick to condemm anything other than your way of thinking.

I have done quite a bit of research re: educational programs for the deaf in other countries other than the U.S. Great Britian is one, Sweden is another, Norway is another....

Not condemning. Bringing up points that are obviously not being considered. Like you yourself said...you are in no position to know.

 

[kokonut]

Jillo, if I remember correctly you are in the United States. I just checked the first post in this thread and believe this family is in the United Kingdom as the money was in Pounds and the location names seem to fit that as well.

There is bound to be differences as to how ANYTHING is handled in different countries.

You also seem to be so quick to condemm anything other than your way of thinking.

Quite true.

 

[Beach girl]

As a HoH person using powerful hearing aids, I think the psychosocial consequences of NOT using the technology would have been far, far worse than USING the technology. I enjoy my social life with friends and family, enjoy concerts and ballet performances with beautiful music, enjoy church, enjoy walks on the beach listening to the waves and the caw, caw of seagulls. Most importantly, I enjoy easy communication with my husband. None of that would be possible without my hearing aids. (For ME - I realize people who use only ASL with friends and family can say the same thing about their own communication. I am not in that group, however.)

So there's at least "once" when technology was able to "remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness."

I would guess that many of the participants here in AD who use hearing aids or CIs would feel much the same. I think you are way, way over-generalizing any negative effects of technology, and way, way minimizing the benefits so many of us have gained.

Just because you chose to raise your child without hearing aids and/or implants, and think he's better off for it, does not mean that people who make the other decision are wrong.

Calum's mom, I think you're doing fine. You're making an informed decision, you've got a Plan A that looks like it should meet his needs with appropriate teachers and an appropriate peer group for him that includes other deaf children, and you've got a back-up Plan B in mind that is also very reasonable and accessible to you.

When you hear criticism from certain people here, remember that they are heavily invested in being "right" because they made different choices than you did. Take it with a large grain of salt, and don't lose confidence in yourself.

 

[kokonut]

As a HoH person using powerful hearing aids, I think the psychosocial consequences of NOT using the technology would have been far, far worse than USING the technology. I enjoy my social life with friends and family, enjoy concerts and ballet performances with beautiful music, enjoy church, enjoy walks on the beach listening to the waves and the caw, caw of seagulls. Most importantly, I enjoy easy communication with my husband. None of that would be possible without my hearing aids. (For ME - I realize people who use only ASL with friends and family can say the same thing about their own communication. I am not in that group, however.)

So there's at least "once" when technology was able to "remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness."

I would guess that many of the participants here in AD who use hearing aids or CIs would feel much the same. I think you are way, way over-generalizing any negative effects of technology, and way, way minimizing the benefits so many of us have gained.

Just because you chose to raise your child without hearing aids and/or implants, and think he's better off for it, does not mean that people who make the other decision are wrong.

Calum's mom, I think you're doing fine. You're making an informed decision, you've got a Plan A that looks like it should meet his needs with appropriate teachers and an appropriate peer group for him that includes other deaf children, and you've got a back-up Plan B in mind that is also very reasonable and accessible to you.

When you hear criticism from certain people here, remember that they are heavily invested in being "right" because they made different choices than you did. Take it with a large grain of salt, and don't lose confidence in yourself.

Wow. Love your post! Confidence is everything, including preferences. I agree, I think Calum's mom is doing just fine.

 

[jillio]

As a HoH person using powerful hearing aids, I think the psychosocial consequences of NOT using the technology would have been far, far worse than USING the technology. I enjoy my social life with friends and family, enjoy concerts and ballet performances with beautiful music, enjoy church, enjoy walks on the beach listening to the waves and the caw, caw of seagulls. Most importantly, I enjoy easy communication with my husband. None of that would be possible without my hearing aids. (For ME - I realize people who use only ASL with friends and family can say the same thing about their own communication. I am not in that group, however.)

So there's at least "once" when technology was able to "remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness."

I would guess that many of the participants here in AD who use hearing aids or CIs would feel much the same. I think you are way, way over-generalizing any negative effects of technology, and way, way minimizing the benefits so many of us have gained.

Just because you chose to raise your child without hearing aids and/or implants, and think he's better off for it, does not mean that people who make the other decision are wrong.

Calum's mom, I think you're doing fine. You're making an informed decision, you've got a Plan A that looks like it should meet his needs with appropriate teachers and an appropriate peer group for him that includes other deaf children, and you've got a back-up Plan B in mind that is also very reasonable and accessible to you.

When you hear criticism from certain people here, remember that they are heavily invested in being "right" because they made different choices than you did. Take it with a large grain of salt, and don't lose confidence in yourself.

That is because you are late deafened. You have no experience with the psychosocial effects of deafness in a developing child.

 

[Beach girl]

You made a blanket statement that "technology has never once been able to remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness."

That is just plain not true.

 

[jillio]

You made a blanket statement that "technology has never once been able to remove the psychosocial issues connected to deafness."

That is just plain not true.

Yes, dear, it is true and your posts are supporting that. Koko's are, as well.