cheers, Cleave.

Thanks for a great read!

Lantana

Sure they terrorize the house, cause damage but I love them to death.

We need more advocates like you.

Say, that’s an interesting fact that you brought up. Maybe someday they will have an International data base on different ethnic measurements?

Hmm, nice career for someone.

Lantana

Is it possible you’ve not seen a hearing parent with their deaf child in their real lives??
Could it be that a CI is not a bad thing?
Could it be that it works for my family and that can be ok?
Could it be that my deaf child, the only person in our entire family EVER born deaf, could gain some positive things from her CI?
Could the two sids of the deaf community come to a point where all can get along and be happy? For my little girl? Please.

My husband and I are both “Hearies”, as you say. When our little girl was born last year with a bilateral and profound hearing loss, we were devistated. Not because she was deaf but because we didn’t know what to do! We didn’t speak ASL at the time. No one in either of our families had ever been born deaf and no one used ASL, ever. We were also told, due to ignorance, by the nurse that “your little girl failed her hearing test because of equipment failure.” It was only because of my persistence that I was able to gain an accurate diagnosis for my baby girl.
Did you know…
One baby is born every other day with some degree of hearing loss and 70% of those mommies are going home with those babies NOT having all the facts with regard to communication options. I would also like to add that the majority of babies born with hearing loss in North America are born to parents with typical hearing. When those hearing parents take those babies home with no information and no one to help them, how does one expect them to make a decision?
I’m going to jump in with a little more about my family. Our daughter (now 16 months) received her first cochlear implant in May of this year. She was 12 months and 3 days. Her implant was activated in June and things have been amazing ever since. Our little girl has NO language delays! NONE! It’s wonderful!
This is what works for our family. Our daughter will receive her second CI in November or December of this year and we’re thrilled.
I’ll add at this time that we are also taking ASL classes because my family sees itself as the future of the deaf community. I feel it is my place to do what’s right for my family but to also do what’s right for my daughter’s community, a community that until recently has all but shunned us away. We have pushed and pushed to be involved and included in the deaf community because it is our community and because it’s what’s right for our daughter.
I want to comment with regard to deaf education in public schools. Where our daughter is concerned, she won’t require any deaf services in school. She might require an FM system but even if our school doesn’t provide that, we’ll get it for her. For families that cannot afford one, (this includes my family) there are organizations out there that help provide such things for children. In my opinion, deaf programs in public schools are being “phased out” because a lot of deaf kiddos are receiving hearing aids, FM’s, and CI’s. Most states and their schools are seeing that it is more cost effective to send the signing deaf kiddos to a state deaf school when there is one nearby rather than providing a duplication of services by also providing the same services in the local public schools. Many state deaf schools are beginning to provide a lot of new services that are allowing deaf children the option to learn to be oral. Some of these kids want that. So, why not let them attend the state deaf school, if that’s the place to learn? Now, if your child requires a typist in school and you are not willing to send your child to the local state deaf school then you go to the school and make sure that their IEP includes a typist. That’s what an IEP is for, afterall.
For my daughter’s sake, I beg everyone in the deaf community to open their eyes and their hearts and see what’s really out there. Keep an open mind and be understanding of the reality of life as a hearing family with one deaf child. We’re doing the best we can. We all work really hard for our children and you don’t have to agree that oralism and cochlear implants are the right thing to do but we don’t all have to agree with everything everyone else does. The only thing we need to agree upon is that these children are deaf and whether they use a CI or ASL or both, they’re all still children and are all still a part of this community.

Thanks for reading and come by and visit us sometime.
http://thestotts6.blogspot.com/

This article has brewed a serious fire in my stomach. I spoke to my friend how much we need to change deaf education. The next action of battling this. WE NEED TO CREATE A LAW TO PROTECT DEAF CHILDREN.

Thanks for this information. This is mindblowing! Unreal!!

Amy, I agree with you that I feel so small here. I strike back, but I am afraid that I strike back to the wrong field!! We need to play smart and strike back real big and into the right field!!

deafk