AllDeaf.com - View Single Post - Children who have been implanted are not going to be part of the deaf community?

Liebling:-))) · 10-24-2007, 04:15 AM

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Originally Posted by Cheri

I would like to hear deaf's views on how you feel about those hearing parents with the decision of implanted of their children. The futures of deaf children are being decided every day by people other than the children themselves

Here is my answer to your questions and add to share my opinion in your question #4 bit.

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Question one:

experience little or no part of the deaf community that included sign language, exposed their implanted children to meet other deafs, from your experience and knowledge. How do you feel about that?

Very sad

I never forget how I feel for a first time after saw the "Fury & Sound" movie about Shelby and her hearing parents. I don't experience in real life like that and haven't meet anyone who pulled their deaf children to their own world. It could be that some hearing parents did to their deaf children like that here in Germany but I personally don't have any experience to collect from them in real life but learn from CI threads here and my friends who have deaf children in real life.

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Question two:

Should parents must be aware of the choices in languages and not be swayed by opinions of so-called professionals in the field when making their decisions do you agree or don't agree?

Yes, the parents should be aware of ALL choices, not just languages. I find sad that some parents depend on professional's opinions over deaf people and their own real life experiences situation. I wish they open their mind and accept both sides between Expert's view and deaf people's experiences.

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Question three:

Do you believe that cochlear implant is an individual choice, nor anyone's choice?

Yes, I beleive that it should be decision together between the parents and their child IF a child make a first move for want to have CI.

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Question four:

Do you think the decision to get a cochlear implant should be no harder than deciding to buy glasses to correct a vision problem?

No, there're no comparison between glasses and CI because CI is a surgery which glasses, HA, prosthesis, etc doesn't because they do not require surgery.

I would like to share my opinion over that comparison with HA, prosthesis and glasses to CI since you brought the subject up over glasses, Cheri...

I can see that many parents think CI itself helps to improve the children to speak and hear which is not true because wear glasses, HA, prosthesis and CI itself doesn't mean to improve their see sight to see anything, ear to hear and speak anything, improve their own legs or arms... but HELP them to see, hear and walk because they want to hear, see and walk... That's all. If they want to learn to speak then need their parent's support, not CI and HA itself. I want to read the subtitles or anything then need glasses to help me to read better, not improvement.

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Question five:

Do you think cochlear implants are unnecessary, oppressive, potentially harmful, particularly when forced upon minor children?

No, I don't think it's necassary to have CI surgery on babies/toddler because deaf is not a life-threating situation (like what Cheri answered). I beleive to wear HA on babies first until they familiar with the sounds and then they will make their own choice either they want to remain to have HA or decide for want to have CI and then have their parent's support instead of wait until they are 18 years old.

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Question six:

Do you agree with those hearing parents who states that implanted children function and thrive better in a hearing word with the ability to hear and speak, Parents believes that in order to succeed, their child will have to be able to hear and speak.

No, I respectfully disagree on this. Each child is different. It depends on their own moviation. Its about their own moviation to learn anything and want to speak/hear anything...

My son told me that a person with CI and HA still have deaf voice... no matter either they speak like hearing or not. Interesting...

I am speechless and feel bit sad when my Dad told me last year that he would of implant on me with CI straight way because he wish to speak to my ear. It tells alot thru Forums that some hearing parents are interesting to focus their deaf child to hear and speak to be like them to neglect to learn where their child come from and also language skills/literacy skill as well... because they should hear and speak to be like them.

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Question seven:

Do you think parents are obsessed over ability to hear is important to them instead of focus on the fact that their child is just a bit different from the parents?

Unfortunlately yes, see my answer above # 6.

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Question eight

Do you believe that implanted children should exposed in both worlds not just one?

Yes of course because the children with CI are still deaf like us. It's same thing what I did with my hearing boys. I exposed both world because my boys are hearing.