Educational Method post CI

[Luca2682]

Hello, I'm a student at SFSU currently doing an assignment about TC programs and Aural Programs. I was wondering if there are any parents who might want to answer some questions regarding the decision of using a particular instruction method for their children education after getting the implant.

Thanks

 

[deafdyke]

I'm not a parent. However, b/c end hearing from CI varies across the board, (just as with hearing aids, "hearing" from CI can range from only awareness or enviromental sound to being functionally hoh) parents should continue with Sign programs (especially since that way, kids with CI can function with AND without the CI) and also supplement with things like auditory verbal therapy.

 

[Luca2682]

Questions!

What influenced you/ your partner to choose TC, Aural or a Manual method of communication?
Were you informed by your audiologist about the different options for your child?
Did your audiologist "pushed" you towards using an Aural Method?
Do you feel your child is in the right educational setting? Are you considering placing him in a different setting?
What personal/ family characteristics you believe make the program you chose the right decision for your child and your family?

I hope to get some answer to these questions. It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Cloggy]

What influenced you/ your partner to choose TC, Aural or a Manual method of communication?

Being a "hearing" family from Holland, living in Norway, with friends and family in both countries we found it important our daughter would be able to communicate fully in both languages... Sign language was used before she got CI, and was used les and less by herself - and as a consequence - by us...

Were you informed by your audiologist about the different options for your child?

When your child is diagnosed "profoundly deaf" the options are clear. In fact, we already accepted to learn another language before we even heard about CI...

Did your audiologist "pushed" you towards using an Aural Method?

Only after CI was hooked up. We explained to them that in the transition from deaf to hearing, we would continue to use sign. But, we have also seen the effect of continuing using sign when speech can be used.... In the end, our daughter preferred speech, and we chose to have her spend more time in a "hearing" environment... It worked out great.

Do you feel your child is in the right educational setting? Are you considering placing him in a different setting?

Absolutely. She is in an all-hearing environment and is doing great. The choice we made for her worked really well.
Obviously, one cannot say another option would not have worked, but the results from our choice are obvious. We would make the same choice again.

What personal/ family characteristics you believe make the program you chose the right decision for your child and your family?

Her communication is based on hearing and speech, and for a multilingual family / situation this is the best solution.
Had we forced her / us to continue to use sign in addition, her ability to learn Dutch and Norwegian would possibly have been compromised. Learning 1 language is already difficult with 2 years of deafness as a start. Learning 2 languages requires even more effort. Three (or 4 - would she learn Dutch AND Norwegian sign ?) would have been pushing the limits probably..

Hope my answers will help you.

Regards,

Cloggy

I hope to get some answer to these questions. It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[dreamchaser]

Being a "hearing" family from Holland, living in Norway, with friends and family in both countries we found it important our daughter would be able to communicate fully in both languages... Sign language was used before she got CI, and was used les and less by herself - and as a consequence - by us...
When your child is diagnosed "profoundly deaf" the options are clear. In fact, we already accepted to learn another language before we even heard about CI...
Only after CI was hooked up. We explained to them that in the transition from deaf to hearing, we would continue to use sign. But, we have also seen the effect of continuing using sign when speech can be used.... In the end, our daughter preferred speech, and we chose to have her spend more time in a "hearing" environment... It worked out great.
Absolutely. She is in an all-hearing environment and is doing great. The choice we made for her worked really well.
Obviously, one cannot say another option would not have worked, but the results from our choice are obvious. We would make the same choice again.
Her communication is based on hearing and speech, and for a multilingual family / situation this is the best solution.
Has we forced her / us to continue to use sign in addition, her ability to learn Dutch and Norwegian would possibly have been compromised. Learning 1 language is already difficult with 2 years of deafness as a start. Learning 2 languages requires even more effort. Three (or 4 - would she learn Dutch AND Norwegian sign ?) would have been pushing the limits probably..

Hope my answers will help you.

Regards,

Cloggy

I hope to get some answer to these questions. It would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[/quote]

Not totally off topic, keep reading.

HI Cloggy, I am hopin we can make up... LOL...

In the other thread, I think I was misunderstood over the CI issue. I am not against CIs nor do I pretend to be able to make a decision for any parent regarding them. I am thrilled about every success story I hear.

The argument, if you will, was over someone stating that Deaf schools and sign are unnecessary for CI users. That is where I got attacked, because I believe that CI users should not be automatically sent to an aural environment without having sign as a second language.

I think that any Deaf child that has a CI is still a Deaf child that can enjoy hearing. They should be accepted in both worlds. Everyone should have the right to have an implant if they are willing to go for it. I hope that technology expands and improves. I want Deaf people to have the ability to hear. but if the never hear, or if they get a CI and still don't succeed orally, I think that Deaf schools should be considered as an alternative. Some people believe that oral is the only way, but I believe that one-size-fits all is not possible. Thus my vehemence over the inferrence that Deaf schools were a waste of tax payer money. (I was replying to someone elses comments in that thread, not arguing against CIs.

I applaud you for giving your child sign, and then learning yourself. I wish that all hearing parents would have that much dedication. Now she has both, and if the CI ever fails, she will not be without communication.

I wish your family the best, and lots of success with the CI. Your post was a good post concerning educating CI users. Thanks for posting it. I would agree with you. Jeanie...

 

[Luca2682]

Thanks

Thank you so much for taking the time in answering my questions. Could you please give me more info about the age of your child now and when she got the implant. Is her deafness genetic or acquired? Thanks

 

[dreamchaser]

Thank you so much for taking the time in answering my questions. Could you please give me more info about the age of your child now and when she got the implant. Is her deafness genetic or acquired? Thanks

Hi Luka, good luck with your research. Cloggy has a beautiful website all about his daughter... above... just click. His daughter is gorgeous, and they are really dedicated parents that love her very much and do all that they can to accomodate her needs. There might be some info there for you,,, just in case he doesn't return to this thread, I thought you might jump on his website. good luck... and God bless... Jeanie

 

[Cloggy]

Thank you so much for taking the time in answering my questions. Could you please give me more info about the age of your child now and when she got the implant. Is her deafness genetic or acquired? Thanks

Born August 2002, Operation / Activation Oct/Nov 2004 - Bilateral in 1 operation.
Her cause of deafness is unknown.

You're welcome to visit her website, and feel free to leave a note there..

Good luck with your research.

 

[faire_jour]

We are looking at getting an implant this summer

and my daughter will remain in her bi-bi school. We have always done speech/listening therapy privatly and will continue. She will have some spoken language time at school, but our philosophy is that English and ASL will both be learned best if they remain seperate.

 

[jillio]

and my daughter will remain in her bi-bi school. We have always done speech/listening therapy privatly and will continue. She will have some spoken language time at school, but our philosophy is that English and ASL will both be learned best if they remain seperate.

You are a wise parent.

 

[faire_jour]

You are a wise parent.

I actually spend time reading and researching things before I make a decision! I spoke to professionals about the best path for my daughter but then also spoke to Deaf adults. I think that is the key step that most parents of Deaf children miss. I wanted the perspective of people who had expereinced the life my daughter will lead. I am not Deaf and never will be, so I must seek the experience from others who understand.

 

[shel90]

I actually spend time reading and researching things before I make a decision! I spoke to professionals about the best path for my daughter but then also spoke to Deaf adults. I think that is the key step that most parents of Deaf children miss. I wanted the perspective of people who had expereinced the life my daughter will lead. I am not Deaf and never will be, so I must seek the experience from others who understand.

Wow!!! U are the best!!! U have my utmost respect!

Good luck with the CI surgery for your daughter.

 

[faire_jour]

Getting her a CI has been a terribly difficult decision. We have always been anti-implant, not because of the implant itself, but because it makes parents focus away from ASL and the Deaf community. We believe that now that Miss Kat has a good strong language base it is time to start adding her second language, English. We have also met with some resistance from audiologists and CI people because we refuse to put her in an "all oral" enviroment post-surgery. But we are trying to give her access to all information and we believe that a CI and ASL can be the best of everything.

 

[shel90]

Getting her a CI has been a terribly difficult decision. We have always been anti-implant, not because of the implant itself, but because it makes parents focus away from ASL and the Deaf community. We believe that now that Miss Kat has a good strong language base it is time to start adding her second language, English. We have also met with some resistance from audiologists and CI people because we refuse to put her in an "all oral" enviroment post-surgery. But we are trying to give her access to all information and we believe that a CI and ASL can be the best of everything.

Thanks for being honest...many of us, ADers, stated in many different threads about the CI doctors and audiologists being biased towards ASL but the AVT/CI supporters always denied that. I knew they werent telling the whole truth cuz I work in the field of Deaf education and I have seen it out there.

I agree with u that having a CI and ASL can be the best of everything if the child benefits from the CI. Too often I see so many children with CIs who never got the benefits from their CIs to be able to develop oral skills so they ended up with severe language delays cuz they werent exposed to any sign language.

 

[faire_jour]

I had an audiologist tell me that if my daughter (she was only moderatly hoh at the time) didn't learn to speak it was because I was a lazy mom! That is far from true. When we originally asked about the implant the doctor told us no. She said that "we should only be implanting children who will become totally oral, and it is clear that you have chosen a different path for your child" and then she gave a nasty look to my daughter, (happily not understanding what that woman said).
It has always been my experience that the ASL community has no problem with Deaf children learning to use oral skills but the Oral community has a huge problem with deaf kids learning ASL.

 

[shel90]

I had an audiologist tell me that if my daughter (she was only moderatly hoh at the time) didn't learn to speak it was because I was a lazy mom! That is far from true. When we originally asked about the implant the doctor told us no. She said that "we should only be implanting children who will become totally oral, and it is clear that you have chosen a different path for your child" and then she gave a nasty look to my daughter, (happily not understanding what that woman said).
It has always been my experience that the ASL community has no problem with Deaf children learning to use oral skills but the Oral community has a huge problem with deaf kids learning ASL.

Yea, that's what I see too.

Oh my ..that's horrible of the audiologist to say that. If I was there, I would have screamed obsencities at her. I am the last person any oral professional or supporter would want to see when they say things like that. I lose my cool and can make things ugly. LOL!

U are right..I and many of my Deaf friends see the value of having oral skills but it upsets us deeply when the oral community disregards or even degrades ASL.

I

 

[faire_jour]

So now we are seeing a different doctor. I am hoping that he will be more understanding of our philosophy, but honestly, I doubt it.
The doctors don't like our bi-bi school and have told us that in order for her to get the CI we will have to move her to the TC program, where the use SimCom...ugh. Well, we told them ok because, little did they know, they are getting rid of TC and will merge with us! HA!

 

[shel90]

So now we are seeing a different doctor. I am hoping that he will be more understanding of our philosophy, but honestly, I doubt it.
The doctors don't like our bi-bi school and have told us that in order for her to get the CI we will have to move her to the TC program, where the use SimCom...ugh. Well, we told them ok because, little did they know, they are getting rid of TC and will merge with us! HA!

I am curious..why is it the doctor's place to tell you where u should place your daughter? I thought their job was just to perform the surgery. Now, they are educational advisors? Hello? Where is their degree in Deaf ed? They dont know crap!

I have a degree in Deaf Ed and I can say that I know a lot more than these doctors when it comes to the education of deaf children. Usually I am doing so much remedial work with so many children cuz they were victims of this kind of view!

 

[faire_jour]

They just say that in order for the implant to work the way it should, she needs to be in an all talking/listening enviroment. The first audiologist told me that we should mainstream her for kindergarten (no terp I assume) and then we could look at an implant. WHAT?!? She has maybe 10 spoken words and failed the listening test you just gave her and you want to mainstream her??? Obviously she can't hear well or we wouldn't be looking at the CI! The insanity never ceases to amaze me.

 

[jillio]

I actually spend time reading and researching things before I make a decision! I spoke to professionals about the best path for my daughter but then also spoke to Deaf adults. I think that is the key step that most parents of Deaf children miss. I wanted the perspective of people who had expereinced the life my daughter will lead. I am not Deaf and never will be, so I must seek the experience from others who understand.

That is exactly the same path I took 20 years ago with my son. It seems such a logical appraoch, doesn't it?