Question About the Possibility of Having Deaf Children

blank canvas said:
Ya I know from the outside looking in it seems bad, but my oldest daughter has it and when she was born all I saw was pure perfection and I was afraid that if my youngest didn't I wouldn't see that same perfection. When she was born I realized that I saw her as perfect too.

Its was a complicated thought that has long passed, both of my girls are amazing and flawless as far as I am concerned :)
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I can attest to her love towards her children. Her eyes brighten up every time she talks about her kids.

When I first saw her talking about her oldest having microtia it never dawned on me in its slightest that she thought the girl was less than perfect at all. Pretty awesome of her if you ask me.
 
ktmartell said:
Hi All Deaf. This seems like a really cool community over here.

Lately I have been thinking about the possibility of me having deaf children. I am hearing and my sister is hearing, my father is hearing and there is no history of deafness in his family, but my mother and her brother are deaf.

I was wondering if anyone knows or might be able to guess the chances of me having a deaf child. I know it's probably nearly impossible to answer, but I thought I'd ask.

Also, where should I look to find an exact answer as to the chances? Would my family doctor be alright, or do I need to contact some kind of specialist?

Thanks everyone.
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Speak with someone who has a degree in molecular genetics if you're serious about conceiving or just curious or planning. Anyone with one can point you in the right direction. The closest person willing to help you free of charge (advice wise) is probably someone at the nearest state/private university.
Everything reproductive is always based on chance. If you have not been told this, probability in genetics is not how it will actually pan out. Chromosomal crossover during meiosis I is random and does not act on probability.

In other words, being told you have a 90% chance doesn't mean in 10 children you will have 9 deaf kids. You could have 10 hearing children. It is very similar to the concept of not knowing to expect a boy or girl.
 
Here is something that may help you understand a little better in terms of genetics.

Assume that the deaf gene is represented by two homozygous recessive dd (two d's combined). Each case (1,2,3,4) represent different children. To acquire deafness, dd must be present after crossing over.

Crossovers.gif


Thus, there is a 50% of obtaining the dd loci of 4 possibilities in this particular example, I think (not sure, forgot about this) the number of times the chromatids crossover is not a set amount. You could very well end up with a different case number than expected every time there is an offspring, which is the random part. These are just the basic biology representations that assume both chromatids are different like black and white. Actual genetics gets deeper than what I've described, by factoring the type of deafness, relatedness of the individuals, as well as their state of requiring homozygosity, etc.
 
So im a bit late to the party here, but if we're still doling out deaf babies put me on the list! Ive got great rates on plane tickets and ill be wherever you need me! ;-D
 
KTMartell, I just have to ask.......if there is that chance of having a child that may be Deaf would you reconsider having children???
I have to say, while pregnant with my 2nd daughter, I too was hoping that she would be Deaf just as her sister ( Yes WhatDidUSay I just spoke those words ) Living this Culture seeing my daughters every accomplishment, every joy, even every defeat, every leap, is something that every child should be able to say they lived. When our youngest was born and she "passed" her newborn screening I cried my eyes out, not because she was hearing but because she wasn't Deaf. And here we are now 2.5 years later and lo and behold she is D/HH just as her sister is. And now watching her accomplishments and her every leap is another joy that I get to live and get to receive on a daily basis, not by only 1 Deaf child but 2!!!!
( and BTW KTMartell - there is NO hearing loss w/in either of my husbands or my familys- our children are the one and only)
 
hen I was pregnant with my youngest I not only hoped she would be born Deaf I also hoped she would have microtia

Why? Because I didn't know how to raise a hearing kid I was used to raising a deaf child and I was also afraid if she had 'normal' ears I would think they looked funny like I did about other peoples kids.

But I didn't I saw her as perfect just as I did my oldest. And I did find out that we needed to make a few changes like learning to be quiet when she was sleeping lol Funny thing is she cries that she wants to be deaf for a lot of reasons, she's only 5 and I am sure will grow out of it.
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:D That is a VERY healthy way to raise a kid. Heck, I want Deaf kids too. Being Deaf is NOT that big of a deal. Was it hard? Yes, but it was hard b/c of the way people treated me, not b/c it's hard to be without hearing.
To me it's like being male or female or gay vs straight or white vs black or any other combonation.
 
As I explain to anyone or everyone, professionals , peers outside of school, people we meet on the street who are enthralled watching the hands flying as we are in mid conversation. The only difference between my children and yours is that they speak a different language - just as 50- 75% of this counrty does
 
If you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ.....
 
DURAY said:
If you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ.....
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Your statement makes no sense. The OP is not deaf, nor have an ambition to work at a deaf school. How would you think KG or PKZ figure in to the equation of a hearing couple wondering if they would have deaf children?
 
DURAY said:
If you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ.....
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I have every intention of moving so that my kids can attend deaf school. My childrens health and education are of very serious importance to me.
 
DURAY said:
If you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ.....
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Not necessarily. Some of the deaf took or are currently taking the mainstreaming route.
 
f you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ
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..... What's a KG or PKZ?
Not necessarily. Some of the deaf took or are currently taking the mainstreaming route.
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Oh god Hohtopics, are you aware that mainstreaming is NOT a new thing?
Most dhh kids ARE mainstreamed today! You know, this isn't the 60's or 70's, when mainstreaming was a new thing.
Some kids do well solotaire, but are you aware that kids who attend specialized schools do better then kids who solotaire?
 
KG is the mens' fraternity and the PKZ is Phi Kappa Zeta, a sorority for the ladies.
 
posts from hell said:
Wow, how did you know that? I didnt..........
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Are you kidding? Those two groups have been there on the campus since-I-don't-know-when. I was there in the 60's and they were the only two on the campus; now there's more....not sure how many now.
 
and Marcy, thats awesome that you'll move to a better deaf school.
Oh, and just to expound on my post......there are some kids who just need minimal accomondations, and thrive in the mainstream, but most solotaires are dog paddling in the mainstream!
 
DURAY said:
If you have a deaf child, you may have to move locally to the nearest deaf school. Want that? Unless you're a KG or PKZ.....
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Which is not unlike hearing parents of hearing children who move to a different area so that their children can attend a better/more suitable/safer etc. school.

You make it sound as if it's such an "unusual thing" for parents to consider the kind, type and quality of education they want their child to have and then locate to an area that can provide those things - where in reality it's quite common.
 
ou make it sound as if it's such an "unusual thing" for parents to consider the kind, type and quality of education they want their child to have and then locate to an area that can provide those things - where in reality it's quite common.
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Anji, on the other hand......most families can be served decently by the local neighborhood school.
 
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