Originally Posted by jag

Actually Shel no one here has stated that they think speech is the only option, no one here believes in depriving a child of communication. Those of us who advocate the implants encourage them because they can bridge the gap between those who hear and those who don't. It is much easier to undertand and learn to speak if you can hear yourself.

It would be nice if some would quit saying that Cloggy is depriving his daughter of language because they no longer rely on sign as much as they once did. I mention him because of the more recent arguments.

Parents of hearing children who use sign with thier babies do so to bridge the gap, to give them the chance to let their needs be known before they have to ablitiy to form the words. So when he says that Lotte is choosing to speak even without her CI on that is a natural progression because just as the normally hearing baby will drop the signs as she becomes able to form them (speak) so to will a child who hears with a CI. There is nothing wrong with this.

When he says Lotte is delayed, I take that to mean that she is lagging behind the average. And remember the average is just that, some will be further ahead, some further behind. I can't remember how much of a delay he said she tests at but relaly if one had no access to sound for the first year or two of life it wouldn't be surprising of tests show there is a delay, just because the child needs to start from the beginning.

As for kids who's parents make the wrong choice? It's going to happen. Hopefully in most cases the change in direction is caught early so not to much communction problems are caused. Life isn't perfect so no one will ever make the right choice 100% of the time.