Deaf to hearing

Alex

Alex

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My bed vibrates and I push the 'Alarm Off' button on my Sonic Boom clock. I look at the time and it reads 7 o'clock in the morning, another day to go to work. As I brush my teeth in the bathroom, I look out the window, through the patio, to a tree where I see two birds what appears to be singing to each other. I pause and wonder what the bird sounds are like, what affect it would have in my mind if I could be able to hear, whether it would it change my mood and be happy. If only I could hear those birds sing for just one minute, that's all I ask for, would it change my life forever?

The answer is "yes", and deaf people will be able to hear like normal hearing people, but it's only a matter of when. Recently announced, for the first time in history, Michigan scientists have successfully restored hearing in deaf mammals, particularly guinea pigs. Eventually deaf people will be given the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to hear. It'll be a miracle come true.

A human has about 16,000 hair cells in the cochlea of each ear. These hair cells are responsible for converting sounds waves into nerve impulses and the person "hears." When these cells are damaged by loud noises, aging, infections, etc. a person loses their hearing. And these damaged hair cells cannot regenerate on their own.

Michigan scientists have found a way to make hair cells grow back by inserting a corrective gene with a virus. They tried this experiment on artificially deafened adult guinea pigs and within 2 months they successfully produced thousands of new hair cells.

Gene therapy is the future for hearing loss problems. Maybe 10 years from now deaf people will be able to hear for a change and no longer have to wonder what it's like to hear birds sing.

http://www.4hearingloss.com/archives/2005/02/deaf_to_hearing.html
 
Well, it will be reality someday, but it will take a lot longer than ten years.
 
If only I could hear those birds sing for just one minute, that's all I ask for, would it change my life forever?

The answer is "yes", and deaf people will be able to hear like normal hearing people,
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Well,I dunno......are you sure you're not just buying into the hype of hearing? I mean I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be able to hear like a hearing person, but I would say...how do I know I would like being able to hear like a hearing person? I understand how a late-deafened or postlingal(or perilingally) deaf person would want to get their hearing back..... but for those of us who have never been able to hear normally......
I think some disabled people really buy into the "I need to function" normally mentality a little too much.
 
deafdyke said:
I understand how a late-deafened or postlingal(or perilingally) deaf person would want to get their hearing back..... but for those of us who have never been able to hear normally......
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When I read that article my understanding is that this technology would be suited for late-deafened people, not for those born deaf.

And of course adults have a choice whether or not to do any surgical procedure.

My question is whether this has the potential to turn into another divisive issue like CI. (In, say, 15 years, of course!)
 
The answer is "yes", and deaf people will be able to hear like normal hearing people, but it's only a matter of when. Recently announced, for the first time in history, Michigan scientists have successfully restored hearing in deaf mammals, particularly guinea pigs. Eventually deaf people will be given the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to hear. It'll be a miracle come true.
Click to expand...

Not all deaf people. This discovery only addresses one cause of hearing loss. The ear is complicated and there are a lot of things that can "break". What good does re-growing parts of the choclea do if you have a conductive loss?
 
Levonian said:
Well, it will be reality someday, but it will take a lot longer than ten years.
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Yes, I'm sure and I don't plan on waiting for this to happen.
 
deafdyke said:
Well,I dunno......are you sure you're not just buying into the hype of hearing? I mean I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be able to hear like a hearing person, but I would say...how do I know I would like being able to hear like a hearing person? I understand how a late-deafened or postlingal(or perilingally) deaf person would want to get their hearing back..... but for those of us who have never been able to hear normally......
I think some disabled people really buy into the "I need to function" normally mentality a little too much.
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It's just interesting to know that hearing can be restored somehow in mammals.

I understand if you don't know whether being hearing is something for you. I, for one, wouldn't mind getting my hearing back. I'm hard of hearing, by the way, and it can be frustrating not getting what some people are trying to say to me.
 
now there's new hope for ravensteve on this one.... he better pray hard or fart....
 
farmerjoe said:
Not all deaf people. This discovery only addresses one cause of hearing loss. The ear is complicated and there are a lot of things that can "break". What good does re-growing parts of the choclea do if you have a conductive loss?
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i agree.. it won't work for all deaf ppl.. suppose a deaf person's audiotery nerves is not function then this hair-cell growth won't work.

but the majority of deaf ppl get their hearing loss through hair cell loss. in their cochlea
 
nozobo said:
now there's new hope for ravensteve on this one.... he better pray hard or fart....
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Id tell you what,,,If someone can give me the scintist e-mail adress let me contact him i might volenter for an experment. So,,, My hearing cant get any worse its gotta get better.
 
I understand if you don't know whether being hearing is something for you. I, for one, wouldn't mind getting my hearing back. I'm hard of hearing, by the way, and it can be frustrating not getting what some people are trying to say to me.
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I'm hoh too, and I once thought that I wanted to be hearing until I realized that I had simply not accepted myself as a minority. As a matter of fact I underwent reconstructive surgery as a teen to try to become hearing. (I have structural issues leading to conductive deafness) I mean I know what you mean.....hoh organizations and upbringings tend to really emphasize the pathological aspects of deafness. I really think that you have to ask yourself if it's really the disabilty that's causing the problem or the social effects ematating from the disabilty/difference. I have disabilty rights activist friends who say that it's not the disabilty that causes the problem....it's how people treat them! I understand....it is hard not getting what some people say to you....but even hearing people have trouble hearing too! (b/c of wicked soft voices, accents and people who don't articluate or enunicate enough)
 
Being HoH, I've always wondered if I had the opportunity to have normal hearing, would I would take it? I'm not so sure! Yeah, I've been in many difficult situations, but I've learned to deal with it for the most part. Without my hearing aid (I wear a BTE in my better ear), I don't hear voices. I can't imagine being able to sleep if I had normal hearing. How do hearing people sleep at night??!
 
I can't imagine being able to sleep if I had normal hearing. How do hearing people sleep at night??!
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*spits out Diet Coke from laughing * I know exactly what you mean! I LOVE being able to turn off my hearing with the flick of a switch....you have no idear how many hearing people have told me that they wish they could turn their hearing off like I do!
 
well, i am deaf and do not think i would want to become hearing. below is my opinion.

it does not take overnite to become a hearing even there is a cure unless the person is late deafened. when a person who is deaf or has a severe hearing loss since birth or very young age somehow gained hearing overnite, s/he would be overwhelmed with sounds from everywhere. s/he will not be able to identify sounds or communicate with other hearings efficiently because of lack of hearing skills. hearings developed the skill at very young age. people who didnt develop hearing and speech skills will be frustrated and have alot to learn. it is a matter of months, perhaps years to become a hearing if cured.
 
Amen! I really do NOT want to become hearing! I was born deaf, and thats FINAL! As matter of fact, if I have to become hearing and I can guarantee you that I will definetly land in nutso hospital or you could call em the Mental ward. 40 years of silence is too long for the sudden change!

DHB

net0man said:
well, i am deaf and do not think i would want to become hearing. below is my opinion.

it does not take overnite to become a hearing even there is a cure unless the person is late deafened. when a person who is deaf or has a severe hearing loss since birth or very young age somehow gained hearing overnite, s/he would be overwhelmed with sounds from everywhere. s/he will not be able to identify sounds or communicate with other hearings efficiently because of lack of hearing skills. hearings developed the skill at very young age. people who didnt develop hearing and speech skills will be frustrated and have alot to learn. it is a matter of months, perhaps years to become a hearing if cured.
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perhaps years to become a hearing if cured.
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We would NEVER become hearing. Thing is nereologically we dhh are NOT hearing, even if we can perceive some sound...our brains do not and cannot perceive sound like a hearing person! Even I don't, and I have a conductive loss. (I hear through bone conduction) .
 
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