Mom of Deaf Toddler

KiansMom

KiansMom

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Hi my name is Key and my son's name is Kian. Kian was born deaf and was officially diagnosed when he was 3 months old. He is now 18 months old and is just like any other toddler except ASL is his primary language. He currently has bilateral cochlear implants, and can say 3 words.
 
Welcome. What kind of program is your son in? How old was he when he was implanted? Happy to read that he is using ASL.

Enjoy reading and posting.
 
Hello! I'm glad to hear your little guy is doing so well :) there is a real wealth of information here.
 
Welcome. So glad your little guy is using ASL. I have used some basic ASL signs with all my children (they all are hearing, one is totally nonverbal), and we teach some signs to our hearing grandbabies, too. It's so good for children to have those early opportunities to communicate.
 
CSign said:
Welcome. What kind of program is your son in? How old was he when he was implanted? Happy to read that he is using ASL.

Enjoy reading and posting.
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Hi CSign, thank you for the welcome; I have him in multiple programs we are taking a total communication approach. His CI's are a tool not an all purpose fix. So we do a mixture of ASL, speech therapy, music therapy and playgroup for hearing impaired children. We live in Boston so there are a lot of resources. He was implanted 3 weeks after his first birthday and was activated 3 weeks after that so he has been hearing for just over 5 months now. I tell everyone he's a deaf person who can hear most of the time, so ASL is critical. CI's are a wonderful tool but they are just that and if they fail or if for some other reason he doesn't acquire spoken english he needs to be able to communicate. I don't know if either of us will ever be fluent in ASL but its there when we need it and it was and is his first and primary language
 
Your baby is soooooo cute! Welcome to AD!
 
KiansMom said:
Hi CSign, thank you for the welcome; I have him in multiple programs we are taking a total communication approach. His CI's are a tool not an all purpose fix. So we do a mixture of ASL, speech therapy, music therapy and playgroup for hearing impaired children. We live in Boston so there are a lot of resources. He was implanted 3 weeks after his first birthday and was activated 3 weeks after that so he has been hearing for just over 5 months now. I tell everyone he's a deaf person who can hear most of the time, so ASL is critical. CI's are a wonderful tool but they are just that and if they fail or if for some other reason he doesn't acquire spoken english he needs to be able to communicate. I don't know if either of us will ever be fluent in ASL but its there when we need it and it was and is his first and primary language
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AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's also the fact that while kids are doing a lot better aquirring spoken language, they still hit the spoken language ceiling. Meaning they can aquire it a lot easier then in the past. Meaning the kids don't have profound spoken language delays, but they still may have trouble developing really sophisticated spoken language. Besides, ASL is a great backup, b/c after all, as any HOH kid will tell you, the world is not a soundbooth!
 
deafdyke said:
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's also the fact that while kids are doing a lot better aquirring spoken language, they still hit the spoken language ceiling. Meaning they can aquire it a lot easier then in the past. Meaning the kids don't have profound spoken language delays, but they still may have trouble developing really sophisticated spoken language. Besides, ASL is a great backup, b/c after all, as any HOH kid will tell you, the world is not a soundbooth!
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I had never heard this before about a ceiling I'll have to ask his teacher of the deaf tomorrow when we're at Horace Mann, thank you.
ASL isn't just a backup its part of our life, we went to the Aquarium today and I didn't put his CI's on at all its a large loud environment; that frankly I wished I could have tuned out of a few time, and there are a ton of interacctive pisplays with WATER not the best mix for a toddler with CI's so. we signed fish and dolphin and whale and penguin and colors and shapes etc, we had fun without hearing. even simple things like bathtime are easier with ASL. I'm always a lil shocked and appaled when I meet parents at Horace Mann who don't know ANY signs. its like do you ever go to the beach? or did you know batteries can die? or even god forbid an equipment malfunction? what are you gonna do then gesture and hope you kid gets it? no way. Like I said I may never be fluent or grammitcally correct but I have over 100 signs :)
And on top of all that sometimes Kian will sign to me all done go get his CI case and hand it to me, what am I going to do ignore him when he tells me he's done I don't force him to wear them I respect his desire and take them off and put them back after a break (usually an hr or more) I don't want him to hate them and it makes me sad when I see so many parents who think their life is a tragedy saved by fixing their child. Kian is perfect even if he never uttered a word.
Sorry Deafdyke, I kinda vented for a min, please excuse my tirade/tangent
 
:wave:KiansMom
I wish the best for you and your son!


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but DD has experience as BEING a d/Deaf person and growing up as a deaf child. Like so many here-
 
ash345 said:
No, Kids still have an issue... She may not have experience growing up with implants... but she is still HoH, which is how kids with implants are, they are functionally HoH. And DD is right, the world is NOT a soundbooth... It is great that she is signing with her son, I completely agree! Though, many of us who are Deaf agree, spoken language SHOULD NOT be the focus of any child's life, but LANGUAGE itself. and that is what this mother is giving her son, language! unlike some people who feel that ASL is a "second class language" and people can't succeed without spoken language, we know differently. Also, for many children with implants, (which I have seen quite a few of them) spoken language still takes a lot of effort, where sign doesn't...
Just because DD doesn't have any experience being a child with an implant, she is still d/hh. There are too many people who are claiming (directly or indirectly) that CI's are a cure for deafness... they aren't... its the same thing that people thought about BTE HAs, and then digital... it isn't a CURE we don't need one... and it doesn't reverse the deafness.
Kiansmom, Please keep signing with your son, keep ASL his primary language, and if you are doing Speech therapy keep it fun... and not the primary goal.
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What fj keeps forgetting is that DD is hoh like children with CIs so it is like the same thing.
 
shel90 said:
What fj keeps forgetting is that DD is hoh like children with CIs so it is like the same thing.
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this is true... and its frustrating when people don't see that some of us... we know what its like to be an HoH kid... I grew up with moderate loss... now its profound, but growing up... I was HoH... and still could have benefited HEAVILY from ASL...
 
KiansMom said:
Hi CSign, thank you for the welcome; I have him in multiple programs we are taking a total communication approach. His CI's are a tool not an all purpose fix. So we do a mixture of ASL, speech therapy, music therapy and playgroup for hearing impaired children. We live in Boston so there are a lot of resources. He was implanted 3 weeks after his first birthday and was activated 3 weeks after that so he has been hearing for just over 5 months now. I tell everyone he's a deaf person who can hear most of the time, so ASL is critical. CI's are a wonderful tool but they are just that and if they fail or if for some other reason he doesn't acquire spoken english he needs to be able to communicate. I don't know if either of us will ever be fluent in ASL but its there when we need it and it was and is his first and primary language
Click to expand...

Kian is so lucky to have a mom who is clearly in tune with what he needs... I love how you described him. :) It's good that you're using the full tool box to get Kian language, and I love that you're doing music therapy and play groups, too (now that sounds like fun!). Here's a very hearty :welcome: :wave:
 
ash345 said:
Kiansmom, Please keep signing with your son, keep ASL his primary language, and if you are doing Speech therapy keep it fun... and not the primary goal.
Click to expand...

AMEN! It's awesome to have speech....and I would encourage many people to pursue speech as an additional very useful skill. It IS very helpful. I know that the trend is towards oralism. But you know what? Did you know Braille is as unpopular in Blind ed as ASL is in Deaf ed? They pushed books on tape and large print assuming that technology was all blind/low vision kids needed. My friend even went to Perkins and didn't even get to learn Braille! Guess what? It turns out the people who are Braille literate are employed at higher rates then those who are not Braille literate. Sound familiar?
 
Hi and welcome! I am in the same boat...you are just a quite a bit ahead of me. You sound like you are doing great! :)
 
Kiansmom, I just realized, I forgot to actually welcome you to AD, so here it is. Welcome to AD! I am so happy that you are using ASL with your son, and that your primary goal seems to be making sure he has language and is happy and healthy! he is a handsom little guy! I would like to encourage you as well, ASL is and will always be accessible to your son, so please continue with it. he has the opportunity to be part of an amazing culture, an amazing history, and a group of people that will understand what he has been through, and how the world sees him as a deaf person. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us.

and i wanted to also give you a little background on some of the things going on in this forum. There are some people who regularly attend this forum that we classify as Audists, meaning they think spoken language is superior to sign, they also feel it is a tragedy if deaf kids are allowed to be deaf. you will see some heated debates, but please do not let that discourage you from coming back. you are still learning about the deaf world, and many of us deafies come from different backgrounds, but we have one thing in common, we are d/Deaf. We know what its like to grow up as d/hh kids, and if you listen, we have some valuable insite that we can share about how your son will perceive the world around him. (Ejet, this goes for your child too). If you come in with an open mind and an open heart (as it seems you have) then you will do fine, and will quickly find people are willing to help, listen and be there for you. Welcome to the forum!
 
ash345 said:
No, Kids still have an issue... She may not have experience growing up with implants... but she is still HoH, which is how kids with implants are, they are functionally HoH. And DD is right, the world is NOT a soundbooth... It is great that she is signing with her son, I completely agree! Though, many of us who are Deaf agree, spoken language SHOULD NOT be the focus of any child's life, but LANGUAGE itself. and that is what this mother is giving her son, language! unlike some people who feel that ASL is a "second class language" and people can't succeed without spoken language, we know differently. Also, for many children with implants, (which I have seen quite a few of them) spoken language still takes a lot of effort, where sign doesn't...
Just because DD doesn't have any experience being a child with an implant, she is still d/hh. There are too many people who are claiming (directly or indirectly) that CI's are a cure for deafness... they aren't... its the same thing that people thought about BTE HAs, and then digital... it isn't a CURE we don't need one... and it doesn't reverse the deafness.
Kiansmom, Please keep signing with your son, keep ASL his primary language, and if you are doing Speech therapy keep it fun... and not the primary goal.
Click to expand...

Both signing and speech should be the goal if Kiansmom made that decision and is dedicated in that program with help. As for CI, I've seen no one make the claim that it's a cure. That is an oft repeated comment that has little or no bearing to the truth. Just as hearing aids are no more of a cure for deafness.

Lastly, this "ceiling" that DD proclaimed when it comes to speech is a bit vague. A "ceiling" to what? Early intervention is the key here and from the looks of it Kiansmom has certainly taken advantage of that of window of opportunity that can only be attained very early in a child's life. Producing 3 words at 18 months with a CI is impressive and is indicative (supposedly at this point) that the child's speech is beginning to take hold.
 
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