Do you feel lucky you did not get a CI when a child?

[Bebonang]

Mod's edit: previous comment and response removed.

By the way, I voted that I am happy that I don't get my CI earlier and I am happy that I am wearing my left hearing aid (left ear) and no hearing aid (right ear). Having surgery to put CI can cause problems even in very young children. It is better to be natural as best as possible than putting devices inside of you. Deafness is not serious or dangerous in order to have surgery to put devices like when someone who have an heart attack, then the person need to have a pacemaker put inside of his/her chest. That is the difference. :roll:

 

[jillio]

The question is, "do you feel lucky to have not gotten a CI as a child?" Why would a hearing parent even attempt to respond to such a question?

Why a hearing parent would stick their nose into a thread addressed to the perceptions and feelings of deaf adults regarding their childhood is beyond reason. Just to tell the deaf adults that they are wrong about how they feel about their deafness and how they perceive their childhood? Again, attempting to discount the feelings and perceptions of the deaf about being deaf by promoting a personal agenda.

I am a parent of a deaf child, and there is no way I can answer that question. Only my son can answer that question. Nor would I presume to answer it for him. Just as I would not presume to enter into a thread with a question specifically addressed to deaf adults, and tell them that they are wrong regarding their own personal experience. It is unbelieveably rude and arrogant.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, guys....just had to vent on that one. Back to answering the question that was addressed to the deaf adults here. I will butt out now, as should any other hearing parent.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

However, many implantees, especially those who lost their hearing as adults have described that initially, the voices they heard sounded like Donald Duck.

Your experience about the increase in speech production and quality of speech is at odds with those of actual implant users, parents of children with implants and studies over the years.

I am a chronic perfectionist. If I can't have perfection, why bother in the first place? That is a personality flaw I have that prevent me from getting a CI. The ones I am talking about are the adults that got implanted in the '70s, '80s, early '90s, long before CIs were seen as viable in the early '00s. At the time, I made my decisions based on the observations of adult and teenage implantees in '99, '98, '00.

I met a lot of implantees in the last year. They are proud of being able to hear, but they still have the bloody deaf accent, which tell me that they don't have perfect hearing yet. In fact, I ask them if they can still be involved in a group conversation without relying on the person beside them as a crutch, they say "no."

So because they still have the stereotypical deaf accent and a lot of them can't keep up with group conversations-- it tell me that things haven't really improved socially since the hearing aid-wearing days.

Addendum: The Donald Duck reference is what hearing people call the deaf accent... by the way.

 

[Calvin]

Mod note:

Okay guys let's play nice here please.

 

[cdmeggers]

my parents actually did try to seek the CI avenue for me when I was little, but the "professionals" refused due to the fact that I had meningitis and that I had ossified cochleas (and I just found out in May there is NO ossification in both cochleas!). After that, my parents gave up on the implant and just stuck with hearing aids for me and now that I'm an adult I'm the one trying to make this happen.

 

[flip]

Mod note:

Okay guys let's play nice here please.

Thanks Calvin.

I am not going to make replies to Rick for some obvious reasons. As I said in first post, no flames please, else this thread sure will be locked by mods and we will lose this poll. That's exactly what Rick would like to see happen, so just let's take his and other insulting comments for what they are in this thread; not worth a reply.

 

[flip]

There should be a third or fourth option available: "I am a late-deafened or I am a parent of a deaf child."

I am more interested in the childhood and listening aids, not how late deafened people feel about starting to use aids late in life. This is why I haven't included that question.

But this poll is flawed, of course. It's a free online poll with only three questions for the sake of simplificity and not seeking some scientifical use. One thing that this poll lacks is questions like

do you wish you weren't implanted?

Those who got a CI early and wish they didn't get it, can use the option "I am glad I did not get a CI early in my life."

 

[flip]

The question is, "do you feel lucky to have not gotten a CI as a child?" Why would a hearing parent even attempt to respond to such a question?

Why a hearing parent would stick their nose into a thread addressed to the perceptions and feelings of deaf adults regarding their childhood is beyond reason. Just to tell the deaf adults that they are wrong about how they feel about their deafness and how they perceive their childhood? Again, attempting to discount the feelings and perceptions of the deaf about being deaf by promoting a personal agenda.

I am a parent of a deaf child, and there is no way I can answer that question. Only my son can answer that question. Nor would I presume to answer it for him. Just as I would not presume to enter into a thread with a question specifically addressed to deaf adults, and tell them that they are wrong regarding their own personal experience. It is unbelieveably rude and arrogant.

Sorry for hijacking the thread, guys....just had to vent on that one. Back to answering the question that was addressed to the deaf adults here. I will butt out now, as should any other hearing parent.

Thanks Jillio

I have no problems with hearing parents posting or joining this thread. As I said, and you mention, this thread is not for flames and insulting posts. I am glad mods let us know they are watching this thread. Perhaps we need to create another thread labeled "the flame thread", a no rule place to vent.

 

[flip]

I am a chronic perfectionist. If I can't have perfection, why bother in the first place? That is a personality flaw I have that prevent me from getting a CI. The ones I am talking about are the adults that got implanted in the '70s, '80s, early '90s, long before CIs were seen as viable in the early '00s. At the time, I made my decisions based on the observations of adult and teenage implantees in '99, '98, '00.

I met a lot of implantees in the last year. They are proud of being able to hear, but they still have the bloody deaf accent, which tell me that they don't have perfect hearing yet. In fact, I ask them if they can still be involved in a group conversation without relying on the person beside them as a crutch, they say "no."

So because they still have the stereotypical deaf accent and a lot of them can't keep up with group conversations-- it tell me that things haven't really improved socially since the hearing aid-wearing days.

Addendum: The Donald Duck reference is what hearing people call the deaf accent... by the way.

I can relate to this. It's just not good enough nor worth the hassle for me. I know it's different for all, and interessting to read what other deaf people feel!

 

[jillio]

Thanks Calvin.

I am not going to make replies to Rick for some obvious reasons. As I said in first post, no flames please, else this thread sure will be locked by mods and we will lose this poll. That's exactly what Rick would like to see happen, so just let's take his and other insulting comments for what they are in this thread; not worth a reply.

Apologies for my rant, flip.

 

[rick48]

The question is, "do you feel lucky to have not gotten a CI as a child?" Why would a hearing parent even attempt to respond to such a question?... It is unbelieveably rude and arrogant.

Perhaps because someone who is not the parent of a cochlear implanted child has attempted, and incorrectly at that, to make assumptions as to the basis of their decision to implant their child:

"Most parents seems to want to give their child a CI for the sake of better opportinities and fear the deaf child will be angry at them if a CI not was provided early."

As to the latter part of the quote, considering the number of and lengths of bans she has earned, enough said.

In a cochlear implant forum if one comments or opines about the basis for the parental decision to implant their child, then parents of those children are the best sources to address those opinions or comments. Really not so hard to understand at all but to accept, is another matter for another day.

 

[jillio]

Perhaps because someone who is not the parent of a cochlear implanted child has attempted, and incorrectly at that, to make assumptions as to the basis of their decision to implant their child:

"Most parents seems to want to give their child a CI for the sake of better opportinities and fear the deaf child will be angry at them if a CI not was provided early."

As to the latter part of the quote, considering the number of and lengths of bans she has earned, enough said.

In a cochlear implant forum if one comments or opines about the basis for the parental decision to implant their child, then parents of those children are the best sources to address those opinions or comments. Really not so hard to understand at all but to accept, is another matter for another day.

You still don't get it. It wasn't addressed to parents of implanted children. It was addressed to deaf adults. Nor did it ask for correction from hearing parents regarding whether the deaf adults' opinions and/or feelings were valid. In other words, you have nothing to offer in this thread, as you are not a deaf adult.

 

[Frisky Feline]

Perhaps because someone who is not the parent of a cochlear implanted child has attempted, and incorrectly at that, to make assumptions as to the basis of their decision to implant their child:

"Most parents seems to want to give their child a CI for the sake of better opportinities and fear the deaf child will be angry at them if a CI not was provided early."

As to the latter part of the quote, considering the number of and lengths of bans she has earned, enough said.

In a cochlear implant forum if one comments or opines about the basis for the parental decision to implant their child, then parents of those children are the best sources to address those opinions or comments. Really not so hard to understand at all but to accept, is another matter for another day.

I understand where you are coming from. Don't let this thread makes you feel something of tick off. Remind you that this thread is mean to see how many deaf people feels about not having a CI or having a CI. It would help us to understand where they are coming from. I for one who rather hear from deaf people who have been through their experience lives of having CIs or not. I am very curious about deaf people's opinions since i have been growing up among hearing people, my hearing family my hearing relatives, my hearing co workers opinions about CIs all the time. It's time to hear from deaf people's opinions about CIs. I mean not to intent to cause any trouble here.

 

[inmate23]

I am VERY lucky my FIX IT parents. Dont think Im Deaf otherwise i would with out a question have a ci.

I have alot of other disablity and yea they think Im not listing

 

[deafdyke]

Actuallly the thing is, when most people here were young the canidancy was a lot stricter. Only kids who absolutly positively did not benifit at ALL from aids were implanted. It wasn't like today when even if you have some residual hearing, you can still get implanted.

 

[deafdude1]

Actuallly the thing is, when most people here were young the canidancy was a lot stricter. Only kids who absolutly positively did not benifit at ALL from aids were implanted. It wasn't like today when even if you have some residual hearing, you can still get implanted.

I would not have minded being "forced" a CI on me if I had no residual hearing in either ear. There would then be nothing to lose. I would not be upset if any child with no residual hearing got implanted. I would even implant a child in my family that had no residual hearing. I am going by the strict candidacy requirement. That's because I believe the deaf are perfectly capable of developing speech, reading lips and speaking clearly if they have access to sounds with proper HAs. Most deaf parents aren't worried because they know their child is perfectly capable if they are given the same education as their hearing peers.

To those who argue that a CI gives better speech, I will let anyone with residual hearing make the choice themselves. Maybe they are perfectly happy sticking to HAs and understanding speech no problem by reading lips and using sign language. They are perfectly capable of speaking clearly and communicating with just HAs. I speak from experience and that's because we are perfectly capable of this! I respect any deaf who feels the need for a CI or stem cells as long as they do their research and make their own choice without being forced or pressured by anyone with a motive or incentive. My choice for stem cells is my choice alone. I have my own reasons for that. I won't speak for anyone else, you need to find your own reasons for a CI or stem cells and make your own choice. I have made my choice.

 

[SkullChick]

i was moderately hoh so i wasnt candidate when i was young lol but if i was profoundly deaf as baby i wouldnt mind if my parents implant me really it'd be great and acquire better speaking and listening skills than if i wore hearing aid

 

[Lissa]

I was severely deaf till 8/9 years old so I wouldnt have been able to be a CI candiate prior before I was implanted

 

[Pinky]

I'm profound deaf since I was born. I suppose to get CI at age 6. My dad concerned about my scare of hospital's surgery since I had surgery on my hearing tubes when I was toddlers. And plus I had broke my leg. That is why I hated hospital stuff. My dad told my mom to wait until I get older to make decide.

If my parent implanted me. My life will be better with sound, speech and English skill. I found it out the children with CI is the best than Adult's CI. That what I read the information at website. I posted the information on my blog website.

 

[LuciaDisturbed]

Flip - you did not provide more choices, because I was gonna click on "I wish I had gotten a CI when I was younger". Because I do wish I had gotten one. I wonder if my speech and listening abilities might have been better had I gotten a CI at a younger age than when I was 26 years old? I have a lot of "what if's". Of course I would continue the ASL but I wanted the CI so I would not feel left out when one of my hearing friends or hearing relatives or my parents or whoever turns on the radio in the car or whatever and I can't get involved in enjoying the music or participate in conversations with a friend or whatever. I've always felt limited communication-wise growing up without a CI. I always hated being left out and having to depend on paper and pen or on a friend or whatever when I try to communicate with hearing people like when I want to order a meal from a fast food restaurant or something like that. I finally got my CI at 26 years old and I do love it and do not regret it at all and I use it for music and environmental sounds and I enjoy it a lot but I do wish I had gotten my CI as a child before my window had closed so I would have benefited from it more, I would have gotten appropriate speech therapy and stuff. I did have some speech therapy after I was implanted in 2006 but the speech therapist was not a CI-focused speech therapist...she normally works with patients who have had been in accidents that rendered them unable to speak and they have to re-learn how to speak all over again - inappropriate speech therapist for me and a total waste of my time and energy, I want to work with someone who knows how a CI works and how we hear differently than those who hear with a HA or are completely hearing. We do not have speech therapists for adults with CIs here in San Antonio, only for children with CIs. I'm not the oralist type nor an audist, I just simply believe in a full toolbox approach, even ASL included, that's all. I even think ASL is the most important tool in the entire toolbox. This is the way I am, I guess. I don't want to be hearing, I just want to be a part of whatever my friends are doing, regardless of my friends being deaf or being hearing. I want to participate. I don't want to be left out anymore. You know what I mean? Sorry if it sounds like a whine story or a pity story but it's not. It's just my honest feeling and that's all. I do embrace the Deaf culture and I am proud of being Deaf, I've never been ashamed of being Deaf. I just hate being limited, that's all.