Deaf child hears for the first time

[shel90]

you know, everytime i see an article raving about a 'miracle fix' just because a baby or young deaf children 'hears for the first time'...it really paints the wrong picture for the masses of people in society to actually thinks its all over, the miracle is 'done'...

what never goes on the news is the strain and efforts which goes in with the process of not only learning to hear sound, and not only to understand sounds, but to understand words and more difficult to actually understand spoken language, success stories are exxagerated and really only counts from a few handful of implanted children

so like, whenever i see news of 'hearing for the first time?! RME... its only a sense sensation, but what about the fact they can't accept the deaf child is Deaf!...? that's the real sad bit....and probably grave too

That is what continues to oppress us. No matter how much we try to educate society that being deaf is fine, articles like these just set us back.

 

[shel90]

Yes, but it doesn't help by acting the same way, does it?

The deaf culture should show they're better than that.

Deaf culture has tried but society continues with their ignorance and oppress us especially those who have no oral skills. I have seen it happen constantly. Parents refusing to learn ASL for their deaf children who were unable to develop oral skills (yes, even children with CIs), employers discriminating against qualified deaf people simply because of the phone issue, doctors telling parents that they are sorry about their child "failing" the hearing test, and many more.

I think I have said more than enough.

 

[diehardbiker]

You have said more than enough, but who to blame? Its medical professional after all. We the society always look up at medical professional for their professional opinion and that is where most of our society gets information from. I bet my ass if medical professional stop pretend they know the answer and be honest with themselves, they could have better educate our society and could have improve quality of life for Deaf person.

Deaf culture has tried but society continues with their ignorance and oppress us especially those who have no oral skills. I have seen it happen constantly. Parents refusing to learn ASL for their deaf children who were unable to develop oral skills (yes, even children with CIs), employers discriminating against qualified deaf people simply because of the phone issue, doctors telling parents that they are sorry about their child "failing" the hearing test, and many more.

I think I have said more than enough.

 

[Smithtr]

Implant lets deaf child hear for the first time

Three years ago, Grayson Clamp was born deaf. Three weeks ago, he became the first child in the U.S. to receive an auditory brain-stem implant—and heard his father’s voice for the first time.
Grayson, 3, who was adopted by Len and Nicole Clamp of Charlotte, N.C., is missing the cochlear nerves that allow humans to process and hear sound, the Daily Mail reports. When the Clamps heard about a new research trial for deaf children at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, they jumped at the opportunity to change their son's life.
Doctors implanted a microchip in Grayson’s brain to help him process and recognize noises. Grayson’s face lit up when he heard his father speak.
Most of the roughly 1,000 people who have undergone the procedure have only a basic awareness of sound. According to WBTV, the Clamps say their new job is to teach Grayson how to make sense of what he hears.
“We don’t know what it’s like for him,” said Nicole Clamp. “We don’t know exactly what he hears. His brain is still trying to organize itself to use sound.”

Implant lets deaf child hear for the first time

 

[caz12]

i seen failours with them heartbreak it cause.tuscany is right in uk in his parents day if saw deaf kids signing the school could be hard,Lot of uk deaf people been left with emotional scaring.Trying to be kind it was cruel

 

[TXgolfer]

Deaf culture has tried but society continues with their ignorance and oppress us especially those who have no oral skills. I have seen it happen constantly. Parents refusing to learn ASL for their deaf children who were unable to develop oral skills (yes, even children with CIs), employers discriminating against qualified deaf people simply because of the phone issue, doctors telling parents that they are sorry about their child "failing" the hearing test, and many more.

I think I have said more than enough.

Doctors saying "Im sorry but your child has failed their hearing test" is oppression now?

 

[Stakie]

This kid didn't get a CI, he doesn't even have an auditory nerve to hook it up to, he got a chip implanted.

BUT, I disagree. By giving them the choice, you are really taking the choice away. Let's say you have profoundly dead baby that HAs barely give access to speech, if at all. This kid turns 16 and decides they want a CI. Here's a hard ugly truth about the consequence of your decision, to let them have the decision. They've decided they want to access to sound, they will never ever be as successful with the CI as if you had had them implanted as a baby. There are certain times when a brain is at its optimal to learn something, learning sound and language is at its optimum as a baby and toddler. Your 16 year old will have to work very very very hard to learn to hear with it. If you implanted them as a baby, but they decide later they don't want to hear, they can just not wear it. That's actually more if a choice, because the option you left them with is a hard road and you limited their success. You made them miss their boat, their optimal time for learning sound and language.

By giving them choice does not mean you wait until they are 16. And, It doesn't matter if it was a CI or a chip. It was still a surgery, and that was my point. I understand, which I pointed out, that it's better for the child to get the implant/chip/device early in life rather than later. Again, I will reiterate I stand by choice.

 

[diehardbiker]

With lack of positive reinforcement is considered oppression. Most medical professional do not give any positive benefits and potentials. The way they treated as if child do not get early treatment by getting CI will not be able to live normal in later life, that is WHAT devastating most hearing parents where they are at loss and confusing. That kind of approach is not acceptable because it can encourage hearing parents with negative thoughts.
How many times have you heard Medical professional giving story how successful Deaf person without any hearing aid can live? Please show me proof that one of them share positive stories about Deaf? I don't think you will be able to find one.

Did you realize that AGB tried to outlaw Deaf from marrying another Deaf? Even attempt to outlaw Deaf from driving? Mind you, he was part of medical professional, he set up oral only school in attempt to make Deaf like Hearing people. Glad there was not enough gullible politicians fall for AGB.

Doctors saying "Im sorry but your child has failed their hearing test" is oppression now?

 

[katiek]

Most medical professional do not give any positive benefits and potentials. The way they treated as if child do not get early treatment by getting CI will not be able to live normal in later life, that is WHAT devastating most hearing parents where they are at loss and confusing.

In that case, I feel VERY fortunate that was not my experience with the medical community and my son. All options were spelled out for us and we were given mentors/resources, etc. for ALL options.

 

[diehardbiker]

That's good to hear! I would love to see more of that happening.

Here is question, how would you react or feel if these professional gives you very limited options?

In that case, I feel VERY fortunate that was not my experience with the medical community and my son. All options were spelled out for us and we were given mentors/resources, etc. for ALL options.

 

[diehardbiker]

Parents themselves knows their own child better than medical professional does. It would be more fair for professional to lay out all of the options, and outlines its pros and cons, and honest success rate for each scenarios and let parents decide for themselves. Also, medical professional is the one that educates best, and if they have done in positive approach, it will lead to less oppression in future. It takes time for society to understand that it does not matter if one is hearing or Deaf, both CAN live normal lives.

 

[ambrosia]

profoundly dead??
is this a subconscious thing?

I'm on my iPhone with the little tiny virtual keys......you may notice that the d is beside the f on your keyboard, but sure lets make something simple and obvious have "hidden" meanings and motivations. :roll:

 

[katiek]

That's good to hear! I would love to see more of that happening.

Here is question, how would you react or feel if these professional gives you very limited options?

I'd be LIVID if I was not provided all the options. Sadly, many people are too naive and/or uneducated to research everything before making a decision and take medical professionals opinion as fact. I support any parent's choice, but only when they are an educated and researched choice.

 

[ambrosia]

In that case, I feel VERY fortunate that was not my experience with the medical community and my son. All options were spelled out for us and we were given mentors/resources, etc. for ALL options.

From what I have read that is the norm now, but most of these posters are from a different time. I have filled out the application for an assessment for a CI, and just going by the questions it doesn't seem as CI is presented as a miracle cure, in fact they actually sound like they don't want you to have too high expectations. I didn't even talk to anyone or go for it, that's a long irrelevant story.

 

[CSign]

That's good to hear! I would love to see more of that happening.

Here is question, how would you react or feel if these professional gives you very limited options?

I know this question wasn't posed to me, but I'll answer from my perspective. Doctors/audiologists have very limited training (if any) in language acquisition in DHH children. Their responsibility is to asses the degree of hearing (or not), and provide information on assistive technology. They do at least grasp the concept of the benefits of early intervention.

If you have no family history of hearing loss and you aren't expecting it, it takes some time to process. Once you've had time to process it, it is the responsibility of parents to go and seek out information they need. I certainly didn't allow myself to be limited to just what I was told about.

What I don't understand, is if the Deaf community recognizes the lack of support and resources for parents from the beginning, why isn't anything being done about it?

AG Bell has standard info that is probably at most audiologist offices across the country. Why not work together to provide a comprehensive booklet to for parents so that they have something to start with?

 

[Frisky Feline]

oh my god

 

[CSign]

I'd be LIVID if I was not provided all the options. Sadly, many people are too naive and/or uneducated to research everything before making a decision and take medical professionals opinion as fact. I support any parent's choice, but only when they are an educated and researched choice.

In a perfect world, the audiologist would provide parents with all communication options.

To me though, I see it as the responsibility of the LEA to provide that information, as they are the ones who are responsible for educating our children.

 

[katiek]

In a perfect world, the audiologist would provide parents with all communication options.

To me though, I see it as the responsibility of the LEA to provide that information, as they are the ones who are responsible for educating our children.

Agreed. LEA and Audi both gave us the options, but I can only speak for my experience in California. No clue how it's done elsewhere.

 

[Angel1989]

The one thing that really stood out for me was when the parents said "we really don't know what he hears now".

This is HUGE for me. From what I have researched there is no way for an audi or anyone else to know what we actually hear with a CI. It's like having a baby wear glasses where the prescription was made incorrectly. They won't be able to tell you it's wrong.

 

[ambrosia]

The one thing that really stood out for me was when the parents said "we really don't know what he hears now".

This is HUGE for me. From what I have researched there is no way for an audi or anyone else to know what we actually hear with a CI. It's like having a baby wear glasses where the prescription was made incorrectly. They won't be able to tell you it's wrong.

Hmmmm I imagine even if its nit the same sounds a normal ear would hear he would still learn to recognize what he does hear. So even though it's not the same doesn't mean he doesn't interpret it the same. I could hear someone speak Spanish, but I wouldn't understand what they were saying....but if I grew up hearing it as a child I would recognize it. Does that make sense? And this doesn't pertain just to speech.....if he hears a dog barking, even if it doesn't sound the same to a hearing person he will learn to recognize THAT sound as a dog barking.