APD and the Deaf Community

Ryssie

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Hi,
I was wondering about Deaf rules and culture. Pertaining to Auditory Processing Disorder(APD){Brain is hard of hearing, language processing deficit, Auditory Dyslexia etc.}, would it be acceptable if a subculture of the Deaf, that being a subculture within the Deaf culture specifically for those with APD were established, so that APDers have equal access to Deaf rights as well, since both are considered 'hearing disabilities' by definition?

If you were wondering, here is a definition of APD: When Your Brain Is Hard of Hearing

Auditory Processing Disorder

Thank you! :ty:
 
id say yes in my opinion. my Deaf friend's daughter who has APD and sign beautifully.
 
I have this as a part of Autism, I am also HoH with classical hearing loss, they call me "functionally" deaf and I get interpreters now. I have been picking up ASL so naturally even though I had almost no exposure to signing as a kid and the little bit I had was signed english. My brain doesn't think in English. I was a case of no native language. All the language I have acquired has been in late childhood, early adulthood and I am still learning. My brain isn't hearing. Seems I have more in common with Deaf folk than I ever would have imagined. And I especially have a lot in common with kids who are deaf but had no access to ASL growing up. I am choosing ASL rather than to continue writing in English as primary way to communicate but I am also considered "speech disabled" so I guess it's an easier decision for me than others who can talk well and have access to that and want to talk. I personally, don't like talking. As soon as I learned to sign I latched onto it because I loved the freedom it gave me. I don't neccessarily feel all Deaf folk accept me in their community though so I have to be careful. I have never really belonged anywhere and it hurts to feel rejected by anyone so I still mostly keep to myself. But I hope to be able to sign well enough with more coursework to not have to be so isolated anymore. THat's my experience with it.
 
I have this as a part of Autism, I am also HoH with classical hearing loss, they call me "functionally" deaf and I get interpreters now. I have been picking up ASL so naturally even though I had almost no exposure to signing as a kid and the little bit I had was signed english. My brain doesn't think in English. I was a case of no native language. All the language I have acquired has been in late childhood, early adulthood and I am still learning. My brain isn't hearing. Seems I have more in common with Deaf folk than I ever would have imagined. And I especially have a lot in common with kids who are deaf but had no access to ASL growing up. I am choosing ASL rather than to continue writing in English as primary way to communicate but I am also considered "speech disabled" so I guess it's an easier decision for me than others who can talk well and have access to that and want to talk. I personally, don't like talking. As soon as I learned to sign I latched onto it because I loved the freedom it gave me. I don't neccessarily feel all Deaf folk accept me in their community though so I have to be careful. I have never really belonged anywhere and it hurts to feel rejected by anyone so I still mostly keep to myself. But I hope to be able to sign well enough with more coursework to not have to be so isolated anymore. THat's my experience with it.

yeah, that's tough :/ but if we can bridge the gaps and try to not judge others by their abilities to sign/hear then maybe we could feel a little more accepted. Not to say that all feel this way, but if this does occur often in your case Chelsea, maybe we can hope to change this :)
 
chelsea, I understand what you're saying about talking. I replied to you and Ryssie in a different part in this same section. I was in speech therapy for many years and can talk but it's not easy for me. I spoke very late and used gesture and body language as a young child to be communicate, I would have had much less frustration then if I'd been exposed to ASL at that time.
I find ASL to be more freeing and natural for me.
 
chelsea, I understand what you're saying about talking. I replied to you and Ryssie in a different part in this same section. I was in speech therapy for many years and can talk but it's not easy for me. I spoke very late and used gesture and body language as a young child to be communicate, I would have had much less frustration then if I'd been exposed to ASL at that time.
I find ASL to be more freeing and natural for me.

I hear ya sister! I was a late talker too, and even now, I have issues explaining what I truly want to say when I speak. I was also in speech therapy as a kid, which helped, but I feel the same as you and Chelsea. I just love how freeing ASL is. Plus I take things quite literally, which is challenging in spoken English (e.g. jokes). So, I feel that ASL is a right fit for me. I've never felt as part of the hearing world, but always thought that was the only place I could fit. Now I realize (with researching my APD instead of being fed information by others) that it is more Deaf than Hearing...but still a bit of both. Ever since I was young, I knew about my disability and never questioned it because as a sick kid, when you're being taken care of in the hospital, you trust and hardly question. As I got older, I began to do research on most of my conditions so that I could be aware and independent...That's how I got here. But I am still thankful that my family told me all that they knew about what I have instead of keeping me in the dark all my life. It's better to know a little, than to not know anything at all.
 
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