Peer Relationships of Children With Cochlear Implants

[shel90]

Wow, that is an ironic statement given how you are treating the D/deaf people here and respecting our information and experiences...

Amen!

 

[shel90]

Who are the "they" that you are referring to? Why would I rely upon an audiologist to provide guidance on emotional/social issues for a child with a ci?

Because it is an aspect of having a CI. An audi is not much of a professional if he/she does not take things of this nature into consideration. In addition, an audi is required to take several courses on communication issues, and if professionals in the field were being properly instructed, it is a topic that is covered in training. Simply because your audi ignored it does, in no way, imply that it is not within their scope of practice. Audis seem to be quite fond of denying sign language to a child based on exactly these issues.

My daughter's audiologist, who has been with her since shortly after her initial diagnosis, is a great person and an expert in his field but he is not an expert in the issue of social/emotional and/or educational issues and does not try to be.

Then your audiologist is not as qualifed to deal with CI patients as you might believe. Just another case of a limited vision that doesn't see beyond the ears and the mouth to the person involved.

In getting information and experience regarding these issues we turned to deaf adults, deaf teens, teachers and social workers those with both firsthand experience and the professional experience to discuss those issues with us.

Were those signing deaf/Deaf, or just your average A.G. Bell oral only deaf? You give virtually no value to what the deaf on this forum tell you regarding their experiences in the mainstream, so it would stand to reason that you would have discounted such information coming from anyone other than the A.G. Bell types at that point in time, as well. Any of those Social Workers work with a large deaf population, or just a handful of students in a single mainstream school? Were the teachers certified and specialized TODs or just you generic special ed teachers with no training in deaf ed? Again, you discredit the experience and expertise of TODs and those professionals who focus on the deaf population contantly on this forum. In short, it is obvious that you did not seek complete information, but only that information which supported your obviously audist viewpoint. That is not a quest for information. It is a quest for justification.

If you are considering placing your child in the mainstream then not only should you constantly evaluate and monitor your child's progress and experiences but the bottomline is that the better your child's oral skills, the better her chances to create, build and maintain successful relationships with their peers who happen to be hearing.
Support that "bottom line" with evidence, because it is a statement that is completely and utterly false, not to mention audist in tone.

Also, having raised both a deaf and a hearing child, the issue of peer relationships and social/emotional issues relating to same makes no distinction between hearing and deaf. Virtually all kids, and especially girls, seem to experience a tremendous change in the middle school years regarding friends.
Again, please support that with statement with hard empirical evidence, because again, that statement is completely and utterly false, and a perfect example of the complete lack of accurrate information in your possession.

The statement highlighted in blue....

No difference between hearing and deaf kids in the mainstreaming setting? YEA RIGHT!!!! :roll::roll:

 

[AlleyCat]

Wow, that is an ironic statement given how you are treating the D/deaf people here and respecting our information and experiences...

Really? I never thought Rick was being disrespectful. He has his own opinions on what was best for his daughter, the same as each of us have our own opinions. I have my ideas of what I think works and doesn't, and I know there are people here who disagree, but that doesn't make me disrespectful. If anything, there are others on this forum that have been very rude and disrespectful and that is quite apparent.

 

[rockdrummer]

WOW, glad you stopped. I get your point though. I hate the way that the stories you hear about CI kids always make you think that they will be implanted and never have another "problem" in life. (Like you are "fixing" them.) What b/s.

My question to the other parents of CI kids would be..

Did they talk at all about the emotional/social issues your child would still face after being implanted? Or did they make it seem like after being implanted that would be a nonissue, like our audies did?

First of all there are many reasons kids can have emotional/social issues. What about deaf kids without CI's that don't have the privilege of being around other deaf kids. Or kids that are delayed in any communication mode and how isolated they can feel. Especially if they have no means of communicating as younger kids do as they are still learning. This is not limited to kids with CIs by any means. And you say "the emotional/social issues your child would still face". Still? As in these issues would be present even without a CI. I don't know that a surgeon or anyone has the ability to predict emotional and social issues. That is a dynamic that has too many variables. I can almost guarantee you that these issues do not apply to all kids implanted or not. I see both positive and negative experiences from both camps. It's why many have echoed that one size doesn't fit all.

 

[samanthasmom]

Wow, been busy here since the last time I checked. Please let me clarify.

Rick and RD - I was not trying to provoke you, merely asking a question that I thought was relevant. I do not have the energy nor the inclination to argue. That is not why I am here.

Shel and Jilio - Good posts!!

Byrdie714 -I am embarrassed for you.

JennieB - Let us know how University is, any new friends?

Deafdyke - We are looking at the school for the deaf here. It would require moving but nothing is out of the question at this point.

 

[deafdyke]

Deafdyke - We are looking at the school for the deaf here. It would require moving but nothing is out of the question at this point.

Excellent! Keep an open mind that's all I can say. There's also Model Secondary School (all deaf kids from all different states can attend MSSD) or there are other Deaf Schools. One thing you might want to do is send her to the summer camp/program affliated with the School. Extracurricular supplementation might help her survive mainstream school.
I went to a hearing camp (a wonderful refugee from school) and if it werent for that, I prolly would have never survived high school.

 

[samanthasmom]

Have been looking into MSSD also. There is So much to take in and digest. Like I said, I just want what is best for her. I cannot begin to express how I much I appreciate all of the input I am getting from everyone here. BTW still trying to figure out where Trebekistan is..

 

[rick48]

Wow, that is an ironic statement given how you are treating the D/deaf people here and respecting our information and experiences...

Not really, long ago learned the difference between the mere fact that you may have an opinion and the weight to be afforded said opinion.

 

[jillio]

First of all there are many reasons kids can have emotional/social issues. What about deaf kids without CI's that don't have the privilege of being around other deaf kids. Or kids that are delayed in any communication mode and how isolated they can feel. Especially if they have no means of communicating as younger kids do as they are still learning. This is not limited to kids with CIs by any means. And you say "the emotional/social issues your child would still face". Still? As in these issues would be present even without a CI. I don't know that a surgeon or anyone has the ability to predict emotional and social issues. That is a dynamic that has too many variables. I can almost guarantee you that these issues do not apply to all kids implanted or not. I see both positive and negative experiences from both camps. It's why many have echoed that one size doesn't fit all.

Of course psycho-social issues are not related to CI kids only. No one has even suggested that. What one has suggested is that a deaf kid with CI in the mainstream experiences fewer psycho-social problems than deaf children without CI. The attempt has been made to imply that this is a direct benefit of the CI. Empirical research shows that this assumption is completely unfounded, and that deaf children with CI fare no better in the mainstream than a deaf child with out a CI on psycho-social measures.

 

[jillio]

That is not what I am talking about..it is the disrespect of ASL and deaf/Deaf's people experiences being mainstreamed as they are seen as something inferior. It is the constant discrimination that being hearing is superior is what many of us resent.

Nothing about one's way of his/her raising kids...

Exactly.

 

[jillio]

Not when the constant discrimination against ASL continues...I am speaking of in general.

True. It is not the past. It is very much the present. We are simply trying to prevent it continuing into the future.

 

[jillio]

Wow, been busy here since the last time I checked. Please let me clarify.

Rick and RD - I was not trying to provoke you, merely asking a question that I thought was relevant. I do not have the energy nor the inclination to argue. That is not why I am here.

Shel and Jilio - Good posts!!

Byrdie714 -I am embarrassed for you.

JennieB - Let us know how University is, any new friends?

Deafdyke - We are looking at the school for the deaf here. It would require moving but nothing is out of the question at this point.

samantha'smom! Moving is a solution. Its what I did to locate near a good deaf school. Let us know what you think of the school after gathering information.

 

[JennyB]

JennieB - Let us know how University is, any new friends?

Not as of yet. It is hard with the interperters, kind of a double edged sword. With them people are afraid/confused about communicating with me, without them I have no idea what is going on.

Todays classes were a bit better though. I had a class of 50 people for one of my lectures which was nice. I like the smaller groups because more people are able to actually see me for who I am and I am given a chance to "speak" in the classes. I am not assumed to have delays, not be able to communicate and XYZ other stereotypes there are about the Deaf!

I have great terps on Tuesdays though, that made today a bit better too!

 

[jillio]

Not as of yet. It is hard with the interperters, kind of a double edged sword. With them people are afraid/confused about communicating with me, without them I have no idea what is going on.

Todays classes were a bit better though. I had a class of 50 people for one of my lectures which was nice. I like the smaller groups because more people are able to actually see me for who I am and I am given a chance to "speak" in the classes. I am not assumed to have delays, not be able to communicate and XYZ other stereotypes there are about the Deaf!

I have great terps on Tuesdays though, that made today a bit better too!

Hang in there, JennyB. It will be well worth the hassels.

 

[shel90]

Wow, been busy here since the last time I checked. Please let me clarify.

Rick and RD - I was not trying to provoke you, merely asking a question that I thought was relevant. I do not have the energy nor the inclination to argue. That is not why I am here.

Shel and Jilio - Good posts!!

Byrdie714 -I am embarrassed for you.

JennieB - Let us know how University is, any new friends?

Deafdyke - We are looking at the school for the deaf here. It would require moving but nothing is out of the question at this point.

My friend is interested in meeting you and helping u out. Let me know if u are still up for it? Good luck!

 

[rockdrummer]

Rick and RD - I was not trying to provoke you, merely asking a question that I thought was relevant. I do not have the energy nor the inclination to argue. That is not why I am here.

No worries. You didn't provoke anything. I feel compelled to respond to allegations that never seem to be backed up. The sad part is that both sides have valid experiences and opinions and it's a shame to not have a constructive dialogue simply because we can't agree to disagree and move on.

 

[deafdyke]

Have been looking into MSSD also. There is So much to take in and digest. Like I said, I just want what is best for her. I cannot begin to express how I much I appreciate all of the input I am getting from everyone here. BTW still trying to figure out where Trebekistan is..

AWESOME!!!!
Despite what rick and jackie think, there are some pretty damn good deaf schools and programs out there!
Trebekistan is where all the Jeopardy! geeks live lol.

 

[samanthasmom]

AWESOME!!!!
Despite what rick and jackie think, there are some pretty damn good deaf schools and programs out there!
Trebekistan is where all the Jeopardy! geeks live lol.

bout Trebekistan! I'm so slow I looked it up. Don't tell, our secret..lol

I am pretty excited about this next step.

Every night at dinner we ask all three to tell about their day..what made you smile, what made you mad..blah, blah

The other two can tell a story that includes peers. My Samantha doesn't have stories like that. When pressed for info it is ALWAYS, "I didn't talk at lunch" or "no, I sat by myself".

Just glad we are figuring this out before it goes too far!

 

[deafdyke]

samantha'smom, that's SO damn awesome that you're realizing that social inclusion can also be a big issue. Despite what SOME people may think, social emoitional issues CAN and do contribuate significently to sucess in school.

 

[jillio]

samantha'smom, that's SO damn awesome that you're realizing that social inclusion can also be a big issue. Despite what SOME people may think, social emoitional issues CAN and do contribuate significently to sucess in school.

Absolutely! I have been reading some interesting research on just that topic this evening.