CI progress and starting school for parents of DHH kids

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kayla123

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Hi all, just making a thread here to see how well your child's progress is doing with their CI in school. As for my daughter Kayla, she started kindergarden this year and is absolutley loving school...actually she's excited about riding the school bus, lol. So far she's doing great in school, her teacher keeps me posted and i do volunteer as a classroom parent to make sure she is keeping up with the rest of the kids and to make sure she is understanding what she is being taught. The FM helps a great deal especially in gym class. I had a little discussion with all her classmates about her CI, showing them what it looks like(her hair covers it) and explaining to them that it helps her to hear. They were all so cute and i was'nt sure if Kayla would be shy about being the center of attention but she was so cute just flipping her hair back and showing it off to them. She's still a little behind on her speech compared to her peers but she comes home everday learning something new and excited about telling me how her day went.
 
Good to hear how well your daughter is doing. Sounds like she is a trooper.
 
She's still a little behind on her speech compared to her peers
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Speech or language? Are there a lot of dhh kids at this school? One big downside to mainstreaming at neighborhood school, is that usually the speech therapists/ sped teachers really tend not to have experiance teaching dhh kids. One thing that I think you could look into is maybe looking into sending Kayla to a Dhh program at least once a week. This would help b/c she'd get the advantages of a TOD in a group session, meet other kids like her, learn Sign from kids who fluently know it, and help her decide which placement is best for her. I know she's doing well, but that could change. I did well in kindergarten (small speech delay) but as I grew older, things got worse. Just keep an open mind as to educational placement.
 
deafdyke said:
Speech or language? Are there a lot of dhh kids at this school? One big downside to mainstreaming at neighborhood school, is that usually the speech therapists/ sped teachers really tend not to have experiance teaching dhh kids. One thing that I think you could look into is maybe looking into sending Kayla to a Dhh program at least once a week. This would help b/c she'd get the advantages of a TOD in a group session, meet other kids like her, learn Sign from kids who fluently know it, and help her decide which placement is best for her. I know she's doing well, but that could change. I did well in kindergarten (small speech delay) but as I grew older, things got worse. Just keep an open mind as to educational placement.
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*sigh*

Your bias against the CI really shows. With all due respect DD, but I don't think you're qualified to give such opinions since your hearing loss is conductive, and don't have a CI, and aren't qualified to get one.

I know I'm hearing, and I also don't have a CI.

However, you seem to have an agenda. You want to scare parents away from the CI, or you want to "warn" parents that their child won't do well unless they can fit into both worlds. What if some parents have chosen to raise their kid oral? There's not much you can do about that. Would you be so eager to criticise a deaf parent who wanted to raise their kid completely ASL reliant?

Think about it, DD.
 
It's so nice to see your daughter doing so well, Kayla123--I'm sure she's having fun learning! It's a good thing that you've stayed involved in the classroom...I remember that age...I was so proud when my mom voluteered...:)

Your daughter seems to be making steady progess in her speech, and she's getting along with her peers...
 
Thanks for the positive feedback guys. Kayla is the only one in her school who is dhh. The school does have a speech pathologist, but your right DD, she does not have any training in working with dhh kids. So in that case, they are bringing in someone that does. The school has to accomidate to her needs. When she was tested by her av therapist, she was at a 4 yr old level with speech and with comprehension as well. When working with her on following directions and on her auditory memory she does very well . Early on, things had to be repeated over and over again but now she knows she has to listen when being talked to, and she's not shy about asking you to repeat yourself if she does'nt understand you the first time...i made sure of that. As for mingling with other dhh kids, next summer i am going to register her in a camp for dhh kids. The age requirement for that camp is 6 yrs old so i could'nt put her in this summer.
 
OB, I am NOT anti CI. Neither am I anti-oral skills. I think oral skills are very important. But it IS a fact that the gross majority of dhh kids with oral skills will never be as good as speaking the English language, as a hearing person.
If there were a lot of people advocating for ASL only, then yes I would be anti seperatist mentality. You have to remember that I am not ASL vs speech. I strongly believe that dhh kids have the right to a FULL communication toolbox, whenever possible. I understand that sometimes it's not possible. Like there are some kids who for whatever reason might not undy ASL! :shock: Then there are some dhh kids who can't speak b/c of apraxia or things like tracheostomies! I just think it's the parent's job to equipt kids with as many tools as possible, so that the kids have the abilty to make the choices, of what tools to use. Besides Kayla123 has already expressed that she does want her child to become fluent in ASL. I'm just trying to give her some pointers re: mainstreaming. It really is not as simple as some people make it out to be. You practically have to be a Super High Acheiving Deafie to get anything beyond basic accomondations if you're in the mainstream.
Do I have an agenda? Well it depends. I have seen FAR FAR too many kids and parents be pushed towards only mainstreaming and oral only.........and while there are some kids who have done well, FAR TOO many many others have gone through hell, and now say that they should have done this, or should have done that.
 
Kayla123, what about a TOD? Does she have a TOD? If she doesn't, or if one isn't available, I have heard of parents doing a split placement for their kids. Like most of the time mainstreaming, but then going to a school that has a Dhh program for TOD stuff, once or twice a week. That's good that Kayla only has a year delay in her speech, and it's good that she's doing well mainstreaming. Continue mainstreaming. Is she doing decently socially? That area can be hell for many if not most oral/mainstreamed kids. What's your school system like in terms of diversity? If it's really whitebread and not too diverse.......I'd definitly definitly gradually introduce the option of going to a school with a formal DHH program once or twice a week,when she's a little older. I know that auditory verbal philosophy really pushes parcipitation in hearing world to the max.......but they tend to really minimize the downsides of assimulation into the hearing world. Yes, there are wonderful things about being able to parcipate in the hearing world, as many people will tell you. However, parcipatation in the hearing world, shouldn't mean to reject the deaf world. As a former hoh kid who was pushed towards the hearing world, I can tell you that being able to parcipate in it is awesome........but there were just so many downsides.
 
Lotte went to all-hearing kindergarten as well last august. She's loving it as well, and more important, she thrives between all those other children.

Problem with the deaf-kindergarten is that the groups are small. Sign is used a lot and at some stage it will be a negative effect to the speech. In the new place she has to use speech and she's fine with that. Her speech - speaking and understanding - improves steadily.

At the moment it's 60% hearing, 40% deaf kindergarten nut after next week it will be 100% hearing. Moving between the two schools does not help her...
Her speech-therapy will be given in the new school, thereby involving children there as well..

Contact with deaf children that use sign?? Why? The idea is that she learns to make contact with hearing children. 1 day in another environment doesn't help to make the child at ease. I would put the focus on hearing.
 
Contact with deaf children that use sign?? Why? The idea is that she learns to make contact with hearing children. 1 day in another environment doesn't help to make the child at ease. I would put the focus on hearing.
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Cloggy, My point is that most hoh kids are already really pushed towards the hearing world, with little to no exposure to the Deaf world. By now, most hoh and oral deaf kids have developed their speech, as good as they're gonna get, so there's no real reason to limit ASL and Deaf culture!
A once a week sort of thing for dhh kids, in a dhh specific classroom would be sort of like Christian kids going to CCD once a week, but attending secular school most of the time. All I'm saying is that it really could benifit a lot of dhh kids. Like many dhh kids can do just OK in a traditional mainstream setting, but in a setting targeted towards dhh, they could develop skills and potentional, that could really have them acheive. Also, if things get tough in later grades, then they know they have an option to go to school with other dhh kids like them, rather then being stuck in a mainstream sitution. You really don't know how much an inappropreacte placement can really affect a dhh kid's self esteem......and it's not just about educational stuff..........it's about being teased about your voice, it's about not feeling like you fit in, it's about being beyond lonely, it's about thinking like you're the only dhh kid in the entire world. I really think that when the anthlogy that my story is in, comes out you should read it. I think it'll give you an idea of why we hoh kids might significently benifit from the deaf world.
 
deafdyke said:
Cloggy, My point is that most hoh kids are already really pushed towards the hearing world, with little to no exposure to the Deaf world. By now, most hoh and oral deaf kids have developed their speech, as good as they're gonna get, so there's no real reason to limit ASL and Deaf culture!
A once a week sort of thing for dhh kids, in a dhh specific classroom would be sort of like Christian kids going to CCD once a week, but attending secular school most of the time. All I'm saying is that it really could benifit a lot of dhh kids. Like many dhh kids can do just OK in a traditional mainstream setting, but in a setting targeted towards dhh, they could develop skills and potentional, that could really have them acheive. Also, if things get tough in later grades, then they know they have an option to go to school with other dhh kids like them, rather then being stuck in a mainstream sitution. You really don't know how much an inappropreacte placement can really affect a dhh kid's self esteem......and it's not just about educational stuff..........it's about being teased about your voice, it's about not feeling like you fit in, it's about being beyond lonely, it's about thinking like you're the only dhh kid in the entire world. I really think that when the anthlogy that my story is in, comes out you should read it. I think it'll give you an idea of why we hoh kids might significently benifit from the deaf world.
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You know what DD? I am sick of you complaining like you're the only one with problems. Everyone has them.

Why are you letting your past affect your future? Why are you superimposing your "story" on Kayla123's child? No one's life is the same.
 
Stop bitching to deafdyke, she's just trying to help, she's not pushing her views on anybody here - she's just giving options. At the end of the day, it's up to Kayla123 as to what her daughter does and so forth. There's nothing wrong with looking at all the options. Only Kayla123 knows what's best for her child, so don't get too stressed.
 
kayla123 said:
Hi all, just making a thread here to see how well your child's progress is doing with their CI in school. As for my daughter Kayla, she started kindergarden this year and is absolutley loving school...actually she's excited about riding the school bus, lol. So far she's doing great in school, her teacher keeps me posted and i do volunteer as a classroom parent to make sure she is keeping up with the rest of the kids and to make sure she is understanding what she is being taught. The FM helps a great deal especially in gym class. I had a little discussion with all her classmates about her CI, showing them what it looks like(her hair covers it) and explaining to them that it helps her to hear. They were all so cute and i was'nt sure if Kayla would be shy about being the center of attention but she was so cute just flipping her hair back and showing it off to them. She's still a little behind on her speech compared to her peers but she comes home everday learning something new and excited about telling me how her day went.
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That's wonderful! The best thing you can do to help her is to educate her peers about her hearing issues, that way it won't be such a big deal to them. All my friends growing up knew i had hearing problems and telling them about my issues at an early age definately helped them understand and embrace me. It just became part of who i was and as i got older, it wasn't an issue at all. I wish your daughter all the success!! I'm glad she's doing so well!!
 
I keep a pretty close eye on her with her interaction with the other kids at school as well as her education because of course i want to make sure she's not feeling isolated and again that's why volunteer alot for being a classroom parent. So far i don't see any problems and i think thats because i explained kayla's hearing loss to the kids. Even though at this time she dosent interact with other dhh kids and she's still a little young about understanding her deafness, i do talk to her about her deafness and she's a tough little cookie, at this time it dosent bother her that she's the only dhh student. I don't know if that will change in the later grades, but for now i see how happy and excited she is going to school and meeting new friends and just being a happy child. If that changes later then i will take care of it then, but for now the smile on her face when she gets off that schoolbus and the excitement in her voice when she's telling me about her day says it all.
 
Oh I agree with Breezy......still amazes me how a lot of the kids i went to high school with, just saw me as one of the kids. My hearing loss was basicly a part of me, the way my eye color is.
Glad you're on top of things.....I do understand, since a lot of Deaf schools aren't exactly academicly good. Be openminded......Oh! I got an idear.......maybe a good idear would be to have her evaluated at a school for the Deaf. Also, maybe when Kayla's a little older ask her what she might want for schooling options. Kayla may never go through what many of us have gone through.....but it never hurts to have a safety net.
I think mainstreaming can work if the kid is involved in the Deaf world outside of school. Just remember..........a lot of kids start out doing decently, but then as work gets harder.....
 
deafdyke said:
Cloggy, My point is that most hoh kids are already really pushed towards the hearing world, with little to no exposure to the Deaf world. By now, most hoh and oral deaf kids have developed their speech, as good as they're gonna get, so there's no real reason to limit ASL and Deaf culture!
........
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I feel that when Deaf culture is near by that's great. In that case it will be a natural continuation to learn speech and sign.
For many people d/Deaf culture might be far away and the once-a-week exposure could be a lot of hassle. In that case I would say - focus on speech.

There are lot's od deaf people that have grown up without ASL, Daf culture who feel fine with themself. Sign and deaf culture are not needed to grow up.
So, in our case, with Lotte, we will focus on speech and hearing environment, and we will expose her to sign on a monthly basis because it is available here.
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deafdyke said:
Oh I agree with Breezy......still amazes me how a lot of the kids i went to high school with, just saw me as one of the kids. My hearing loss was basicly a part of me, the way my eye color is.
Glad you're on top of things.....I do understand, since a lot of Deaf schools aren't exactly academicly good. Be openminded......Oh! I got an idear.......maybe a good idear would be to have her evaluated at a school for the Deaf. Also, maybe when Kayla's a little older ask her what she might want for schooling options. Kayla may never go through what many of us have gone through.....but it never hurts to have a safety net.
I think mainstreaming can work if the kid is involved in the Deaf world outside of school. Just remember..........a lot of kids start out doing decently, but then as work gets harder.....
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Thanks dd, i am aware that things will get alot tougher as she gets into the later grades and i will keep my options open. For now i will take take it grade by grade and go from there. If i see her struggling to much with her schooling later on, then i would seek other placements for, e.g. school for the deaf. Her teacher puts the work that they are going to learn for the week in her folder and i work with her at home with it so she will be familiar with it.
 
kayla123 said:
Hi all, just making a thread here to see how well your child's progress is doing with their CI in school. As for my daughter Kayla, she started kindergarden this year and is absolutley loving school...actually she's excited about riding the school bus, lol. So far she's doing great in school, her teacher keeps me posted and i do volunteer as a classroom parent to make sure she is keeping up with the rest of the kids and to make sure she is understanding what she is being taught. The FM helps a great deal especially in gym class. I had a little discussion with all her classmates about her CI, showing them what it looks like(her hair covers it) and explaining to them that it helps her to hear. They were all so cute and i was'nt sure if Kayla would be shy about being the center of attention but she was so cute just flipping her hair back and showing it off to them. She's still a little behind on her speech compared to her peers but she comes home everday learning something new and excited about telling me how her day went.
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That is great to hear. It's good you are able to get involved with the class. I hope she continues to do well, and I am sure her speech with improve. I love hearing about how well the kids with CI's are doing, so keep us posted on her progress.
 
well that's awesome! Definitly be openminded as for academic placement. ....that's probaly my best advice. Am glad you're openminded about that......Kayla could do really well, but then again she might not do too well. It's really hard to say, why one dhh kid does well in a public school setting, whereas another may not do as well. I guess what I'm trying to tell you is just don't automaicly go for the default placement/ default mentality that deaf schools and sign are only for kids who haven't suceeded too well at mainstream/ sign. I know I asked this before, but does Kayla have a TOD? Or is she just attending school under a minmal accomondations sort of thing? Thing is, I really want to help Kayla. She might be doing OK right now, but she could do even better with better accomondations, like a TOD. That's why I suggested looking into things like that. Some dhh kids, thrive under minmal accmondations, but a lot more could do even better with more accomondations......not just talking about the fancy accomondations like cprint or that fm system that has a little screen to see the teacher's face....I guess public special ed kinda scares me b/c it's so "one size fits all" and a lot of teachers really don't know too much about educating kids with classic disabilites. I would never want a parent of a dhh kid to have to go through what I did. Like one of the major problems with public school sped, is that it is geared towards the LD kids. I remember vividly getting lumped in with the dumbass slacker kids, (the ones who are very apathetic towards learning, and who are just in sped b/c there's really no other place for them) I remember too my parents ranting about how crappy the attitude and the accomondations were, and how iep meetings almost turned out to be a joke. I guess too, that i want to help you avoid Monday morning quarterbacking. Many parents of adult dhh kids now say they should have done this or should have done that. I remember you saying that you're interested in having Kayla learn to Sign, like through a summer program. That's really great! But still.......be on the ball about this, especially since Kayla still has a significent language delay......is it expressive? is it more language, or speech? I really caught up wicked fast language wise, after I was dx as hoh. Most of my issues were speech related, but even I had a tough time.I really hope i don't get bashed again............I mean sheesh, it's not like I'm extremely antiCI.....I realize there are kids who can't benifit from aids.....i think the ci is wonderful in that.....i just think in SOME cases, that people are being too quick to implant b/c they see it as the latest trendy gotta have gizmo. I am also not anti oral. I am pro-full toolbox. ....I am simply anti- audist anti-healthy-normal......and it does seem like in the majority of cases where the parents refuse sign as part of a full toolbox, they haven't accepted their kid's disabilites. Yes, there are some cases, where the parents approach it in a full toolbox manner, and the kid decides, they don't want to sign or cue, or whatever.........but many of the parents still are very emoitionally messed up,and haven;t come to terms with things yet.
 
deafdyke said:
..........but many of the parents still are very emoitionally messed up,and haven;t come to terms with things yet.
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Believe me.. when you have decided for CI and the child is using it and making progres... parents are not "emotionaaly messed up".
On the contrairy.. They have gone through that phase and are looking forward, to the future.
They might worry about what will happen later on, but they focus on NOW.
The choice for CI is more often than not a choice to have the child participate in the "normal" environment. To have the child integrate in the society around her, with children that hear normally.
These parents don't need to hear every time about what might happen later on, and how it used to be in the old days.

This generation of parents with "CI-children" is a first. A couple of years ago, theyre were no children implanted at 2 years of age. Now it is becoming the standard and with it there are new challenges that cannot be compared with "the old days". CI works! Integration can be a fact, with enough support and guidence.
 
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