discovery channel: deafblind triplets

[Buffalo]

Blind parents have high expectations of their blind children just like Deaf parents of Deaf children do.

If truth be told, the expectations of a blind parent may be higher only because a blind child needs to be physically shown how to behave and perform daily living skills. (taking a bath/shower, brushing one's teeth, combing one's hair, dressing, eating, etc.)

A Deaf child, on the other hand, can learn all of these behaviors by observation.

Still, a Deaf child needs explanation on certain things. I remember that someone got upset and told the deaf person that he should know better but no one explained it to him. I can't remember what it was but apparently it is something that the kids can overheard and learn from that.

 

[Lighthouse77]

i'm so mad! i missed the re-run of the program yesterday!

sign up for dish network and they will give you a DVR to record shows you love.

 

[Hear Again]

sign up for dish network and they will give you a DVR to record shows you love.

I can't afford dish TV and cannot use DVR. (I'm totally blind.)

In a later post, I said that I saw the re-run.

 

[Hear Again]

Still, a Deaf child needs explanation on certain things. I remember that someone got upset and told the deaf person that he should know better but no one explained it to him. I can't remember what it was but apparently it is something that the kids can overheard and learn from that.

When it comes to oral communication, I agree with you, but I was referring to socially learned behaviors.

Having said that, a blind or deafblind child still requires more explanation in general since there are a myriad of behaviors that need to be learned due to their inability to see.

Furthermore, a blind or deafblind child will require further explanation in their teens and young adulthood years about proper dress, peer pressure, learning how to apply make-up, shopping independently, learning how to use a mail reader, money management as well as a variety of other behaviors.

 

[Hear Again]

Wait, so, as an autistic person who -can- stop rocking and hand flapping, I should because -society will no longer think I'm stupid- if I do? WTF ever happened to educating people? Opening doors and perspectives and all that?

I should change myself for the sake of a world not yet ready to accept that I'm not helpless? I should set out to please every ignorant clod to discount me based on how I look, how my hands move? What next, are you going to say that blind people with visible eye abnormalities should wear sunglasses as to not scare the public?

That really sets my blood on fire. I think you are in the drastic wrong- manifestations of who we are cannot be treated as behaviors to get corrected. If it's a blind child eye poking or a deaf child babbling. They do it because it serves a purpose and how DARE you take it away because you think that we need to put on a show for the non-disabled world?

How dare I, Aleser? I was expressing MY opinion. If you happen to disagree with it, be my guest.

By the way, I was specifically talking about blind children -- not children with autism.

If you feel offended by my post, I'm sorry, but that's the way I feel.

As a person who was born totally blind, I have a right to raise my Deaf, blind or deafblind child (should I have one) any way I see fit.

Since I find blindisms and utterances to be inappropriate forms of behavior, I will correct them and do not care if you or others have a problem with that.

Besides, it's MY child and I have a right to raise MY child however I wish.

 

[Hear Again]

Oh right I remember now telling me about the insurance *grumble* !!!! btw, your story is all printed out... I still get to read it though... life is tooooo busy. In two weeks time (I think) I am off for one week YAY! So I'll have time catching up with it. (can't wait!!!)

I think your mother deserves a gold medal or something... If ever my baby happens to be either blind/deaf or both, I think I'd be lost... raising a child is already a lot of work... I just can't see myself struggling with a toddler over and over again. It's going to be fun...

Maybe I could get you to fly in and hire you as a nanny? *grin*

Jamie

Awww, thank you Jamie for your kind words about my mother. <hugs> I owe so much to her. She never allowed me to get away with "acting blind" or exhibiting blindisms and because of that, I earn more respect from those who are sighted-hearing because they see me as someone who is just like them and not someone to be pitied.

My mother passed away in December 2004, but I still miss her dearly and always will.

I would love to come to France someday!

 

[dreama]

Wait, so, as an autistic person who -can- stop rocking and hand flapping, I should because -society will no longer think I'm stupid- if I do? WTF ever happened to educating people? Opening doors and perspectives and all that?

I should change myself for the sake of a world not yet ready to accept that I'm not helpless? I should set out to please every ignorant clod to discount me based on how I look, how my hands move? What next, are you going to say that blind people with visible eye abnormalities should wear sunglasses as to not scare the public?

That really sets my blood on fire. I think you are in the drastic wrong- manifestations of who we are cannot be treated as behaviors to get corrected. If it's a blind child eye poking or a deaf child babbling. They do it because it serves a purpose and how DARE you take it away because you think that we need to put on a show for the non-disabled world?

I agree. I think that communication is the important thing here. Getting all 3 triplets to communicate together using sign language should be the priority. Getting them more help should also be a priority.

I rock sometimes. Do you think I should be stopped too?

I think that disabled people should be judged on their own terms. Not terms put forth by the hearing sighted world.

My mom also tried to make me as 'normal' as possible. I think my parents were misguided. I don't blame them at all. At the same time if they had concentrated on important matters such as communication via visual rather then auditary methods, that would have been much better then making my already invisible disablilites (asperger, mild deafness, thyroid deficency, and petitit mal epilepsy) more invisible then they already were.

I don't think they expected too much. I just think that they expected the wrong kinds of things. It would have been much better to have been a fluent anglo french speaker/signer using signing and cued speach with freaky behavior accepted.

 

[deafdyke]

I believe that Sophie, Zoe and Emma have the potential to do very well in life provided they receive the intense one-on-one attention that is crucial for their ability to fully participate in a sighted-hearing world.

I really think that they should move to Mass or New England so that they could go to Perkins School for the Blind. Yes, I know about how Perkins isn't a hotbed of potential Ivy League grads, but on they other hand they could offer so much more then a mainstream school that could just offer half assed services.

 

[dreama]

I really think that they should move to Mass or New England so that they could go to Perkins School for the Blind. Yes, I know about how Perkins isn't a hotbed of potential Ivy League grads, but on they other hand they could offer so much more then a mainstream school that could just offer half assed services.

That would be a good idea. They need more constant training then they are getting at any rate. Helen Keller and Laura Bradman got a lot more. It seems while we've made vast improvements tecnology wise, manpower and comitment are definately lacking.

 

[Hear Again]

That would be a good idea. They need more constant training then they are getting at any rate. Helen Keller and Laura Bradman got a lot more. It seems while we've made vast improvements tecnology wise, manpower and comitment are definately lacking.

What we need are more universities and colleges who provide training in becoming an intervenor/SSP for the deafblind. That's severely lacking. The only 2 states who have such a program are Texas and Massachussetts.

 

[Hear Again]

I really think that they should move to Mass or New England so that they could go to Perkins School for the Blind. Yes, I know about how Perkins isn't a hotbed of potential Ivy League grads, but on they other hand they could offer so much more then a mainstream school that could just offer half assed services.

I couldn't agree with you more. Any blindness training at a school for the blind is better than what is provided in a mainstreamed environment. Public schools aren't equipped to deal with the multiple needs of a deafblind child.

 

[Hear Again]

I rock sometimes. Do you think I should be stopped too?

If you were my child, yes.

Since you're not, you can rock all you want.

As for myself, I'm glad my mother forced me to stop my blindisms.

 

[Hear Again]

I think that disabled people should be judged on their own terms. Not terms put forth by the hearing sighted world.

I disagree. When a child "acts blind or deaf," it portrays them in a negative light. I want my child to be seen as normal as possible. I don't want the sighted-hearing world to pity my child because of the way they act. Communication needs can always be addressed in addition to blindisms. It doesn't take long to correct negative behaviors. I no longer remember how my mother punished me for rocking and poking my eyes, but whatever she did, it worked and I'm thankful it did.

 

[Bottesini]

I think that disabled people should be judged on their own terms. Not terms put forth by the hearing sighted world.

I disagree. When a child "acts blind or deaf," it portrays them in a negative light. I want my child to be seen as normal as possible. I don't want the sighted-hearing world to pity my child because of the way they act. Communication needs can always be addressed in addition to blindisms. It doesn't take long to correct negative behaviors. I no longer remember how my mother punished me for rocking and poking my eyes, but whatever she did, it worked and I'm thankful it did.

My parents also trained me away from flapping, rocking, and screaming and of course I am glad they did.

I also want to be seen in as positive a light as possible. And I have had an autistic diagnosis from a young age.

If you can stop autistic behaviours, of course you should.

Anybody who thinks they should keep them is just an attention seeker in my opinion.

 

[Hear Again]

If you can stop autistic behaviours, of course you should.

Anybody who thinks they should keep them is just an attention seeker in my opinion.

Now that I think about it, I've seen children with autism on TV and none that I recall were rocking back and forth. All of them acted just like any other child with the exception of having some hyperactivity issues.

 

[Aleser]

Now that I think about it, I've seen children with autism on TV and none that I recall were rocking back and forth. All of them acted just like any other child with the exception of having some hyperactivity issues.

Not all people with autism stim, and not all autistics that do stim do it the same way- I know someone who beatboxes. For those that do, in whatever way, it's not a 24/7 event- when someone is excited, upset, overstimulated, or on the flip side UNDER-stimulated and seeking arousal, would be examples of times that stimming generally happens.

Essentially, people with autism that do stim generally do it as a form of self-regulation- either to reduce or react to some sort of overload, or to -create- some sort of positive 'feeling' if hypo-sensitive.

 

[Hear Again]

Essentially, people with autism that do stim generally do it as a form of self-regulation- either to reduce or react to some sort of overload, or to -create- some sort of positive 'feeling' if hypo-sensitive.

Regardless of why they do it, this behavior should be stopped. If I had a child with autism who acted this way, I would redirect their behavior to something positive. A child does not need to stimulate themselves in this way. Their attention can be redirected to other activities. Saying that a child with autism should be allowed to do these things just because they're autistic is like telling a Deaf child they can scream just because they can't hear or I can feel every object I come across with my hands just because I'm blind. That's ridiculous.

 

[Aleser]

Regardless of why they do it, this behavior should be stopped. If I had a child with autism who acted this way, I would redirect their behavior to something positive. A child does not need to stimulate themselves in this way. Their attention can be redirected to other activities. Saying that a child with autism should be allowed to do these things just because they're autistic is like telling a Deaf child they can scream just because they can't hear or I can feel every object I come across with my hands just because I'm blind. That's ridiculous.

By that standard, most people with autism -can- physically talk. Should they be 'redirected' from using adaptive forms of communication because it is, indeed, something that makes the general public think we're stupid?

 

[faire_jour]

By that standard, most people with autism -can- physically talk. Should they be 'redirected' from using adaptive forms of communication because it is, indeed, something that makes the general public think we're stupid?

I think it is a very similar perspective to the idea that deaf kids should learn to speak so that they "blend in" to the hearing world. I think it is surprising.

If I'm off base Hear Again, let me know.

 

[Hear Again]

I think it is a very similar perspective to the idea that deaf kids should learn to speak so that they "blend in" to the hearing world. I think it is surprising.

If I'm off base Hear Again, let me know.

There's a difference between allowing a Deaf child to make utterances because they can't hear and wanting them to speak so they have a wider variety of communication options.

You're teaching Miss Kat to speak, aren't you faire_jour? If so, why?

Aren't you also planning to place her in an oral classroom soon? If so, why?

Why not allow her to fully communicate in ASL and be educated in an ASL-only environment?

If you want her to speak and thrive in an oral-only classroom environment, are you doing this to help her conform to the hearing world?