For Late-deafened

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Lighthouse77

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Have you always been Hard-of-hearing (HOH)? Were you mild, moderate, or severe Hard-of-Hearing.

I've noticed that some late-deafened were hard-of-hearing before their hearing got worst. I'm just curious about the definition of late-deafened. I always thought late-deafened means they were hearing before they became HOH and then later became deaf (or went completely deaf without ever being HOH)
 
Lighthouse77 said:
Have you always been Hard-of-hearing (HOH)? Were you mild, moderate, or severe Hard-of-Hearing.

I've noticed that some late-deafened were hard-of-hearing before their hearing got worst. I'm just curious about the definition of late-deafened. I always thought late-deafened means they were hearing before they became HOH and then later became deaf (or went completely deaf without ever being HOH)
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I was undiagnosed until I was 17, so I have not idea when I actually lost my hearing. I was having some medical problems and it was kind of accidentally found and explained many things. At the time it was a moderate loss.

I thought late deafened meant you could hear at one time also. It could probably also be used for a person who had mild or moderate loss and lost all hearing. I am really not sure.
 
I was HOH (for how long, I'm not sure)....but my hearing was 60/40 right before I had the 1st surgery...never wore a HA. Had surgery for the chronic infections, damaged the nerves and I was profoundly deaf.
 
interesting how people can function without their hearing aids. I never could do that. Without it, it is totally silent and I would not learn to talk at all. I remember not hearing anything without hearing aids way before kindergarten. So it is kinda hard for me to go undiagnosed.

So you must been able to hear ok without hearing aids? (I know it isn't easy)
 
That's an interesting question Lighthouse. I was perfectly hearing before I went HOH (and was actually known for my good hearing.) I say "late-deafened" just because I've never heard the term "late-hard-of-hearing" used.

On the other hand, I have always been visually impaired but say that I "went blind" when my vision got a lot worse, and now I would consider myself blind. So I guess it can mean both things. Maybe the focus is just on the adjustment period of the person. Whether someone goes from HOH to deaf, or hearing to deaf, or sighted to low vision or legally blind to totally blind, they all require adjustment periods even if the starting and ending places vary a bit.
 
Don't forget people who wear glasses. Unless that's consider low vision. Our son wear glasses, but one of his eye is need it or he'll develop amblyopia. he is nearly blind in that eye.
 
Well - most of you know my story, but I will try to make it a little more clear than I have before. I have my "file" next to me for this. I have a massive file that have all of my audiograms and letters from Speech and hearing centers, school board and ENT's. It also has my papers for SSDI and all of my CapTel paperwork.

I was born with what the doctors called a calcium deposit on my eardrums. Mother says I had a happy childhood as a baby, but most times did not respond to sound unless it was real loud. I never started talking or uttered my first word until I was 3. At 7 I had a massive ear infection involving both the middle and inner ear. I was referred to a clinic with ENT's that my father was referred to by the VA after we moved to Florida. I was then referred for a hearing test and we found that I had a moderate loss "to the levels of 30-35 decibels through speech frequencies. I got a HA for my right ear as it was worse than the left ear. It was replaced 3 times by the time I was 10 and then I did not have a HA as the school janitor did not know what it was and threw it away. Next audiogram was at age 14 and I was listed with "hearing threshold levels in the decibel range of 40-50". That test was done by the school board and they did not suggest HA's, but preferential seating in school (center, front row). At 16. the school board did another test as my grades began to drop dramatically. Threshold levels were 50-60. At 22, I had another audiogram by the ENT from church and was found to have threshold levels of 60-80 and was then referred to DVR for financial assistance for HA's. Was denied as I already had a job and insurance. Insurance did not cover HA's, therefore I did not get any. Next audiogram was at 37. Threshold levels at 70-90. That's when we found that my children also had the same SNL (they were 5 & 6). At 39, the levels were a little more, 80-95. That's when VR in Missouri got me my OtoSonic ITE HA's for both ears. At 43, I had an audiogram that showed threshold levels of 95-100. HA's were adjusted. One year later the levels went to 100-110. In May of 2008 I lost all hearing due to the calcium spreading and destroying my eardrums. SSI sent me to a place in St. Louis for testing and I was tested by 4 different people and the results all said that I was total deaf, no hope of regaining and not a candidate of a CI or HA's due to the issues regarding my loss. My most recent audiogram was just this past January (age 46) and the threshold levels are 110-120 with arrows pointing downwards. The audiologist mentions that I have "a progressive hearing loss that resulted in complete deafness in both ears."

I have been told that I am late-deafened since I did learn to talk and that I did have some sort of hearing even though it was very bad from an early age. The doctors are thinking that my problems learning speech as a toddler was due to hearing loss and that not enough was done early on.
 
I have been told that I am late-deafened since I did learn to talk and that I did have some sort of hearing even though it was very bad from an early age. The doctors are thinking that my problems learning speech as a toddler was due to hearing loss and that not enough was done early on.
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Another Audiologist I didn't grow up with told me I must have been able to hear at one time because of my speech (it doesn't mean my speech is good, just that he expected less from a person who was born deaf). But I began to wear hearing aids way before preschool.
 
Yet, would someone who has always been hoh really "count" as late deafened? I would consider someone who aquirred their loss as a peri/postlingal kid "late deafened" but not so someone who's always been hoh (since they were babies) but who had a progressive loss.
 
deafdyke said:
Yet, would someone who has always been hoh really "count" as late deafened? I would consider someone who aquirred their loss as a peri/postlingal kid "late deafened" but not so someone who's always been hoh (since they were babies) but who had a progressive loss.
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yes, that's what I was wondering.
 
deafdyke said:
Yet, would someone who has always been hoh really "count" as late deafened? I would consider someone who aquirred their loss as a peri/postlingal kid "late deafened" but not so someone who's always been hoh (since they were babies) but who had a progressive loss.
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I think it would depend on how much speech they understood before losing more hearing, and how much they functioned as hearing.
 
Lighthouse77 said:
Don't forget people who wear glasses. Unless that's consider low vision. Our son wear glasses, but one of his eye is need it or he'll develop amblyopia. he is nearly blind in that eye.
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The need for glasses in and of itself isn't considered low vision.

Low vision is a term that denotes a level of vision that is 20/70 or worse and cannot be fully corrected with conventional glasses. Low vision is not the same as blindness. Unlike a person who is blind, a person with low vision has some useful sight. However, low vision usually interferes with the performance of daily activities, such as reading or driving. A person with low vision may not recognize images at a distance or be able to differentiate colors of similar tones.
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Source
 
ok, I wasn't sure exactly sure even though my son have to wear a really thick glasses

although I should have research it and check.
 
I was HOH and then became Deaf and I do not identify as late-deafened, and actually I deny and refuse the label if it is put on me.
 
JennyB said:
I was HOH and then became Deaf and I do not identify as late-deafened, and actually I deny and refuse the label if it is put on me.
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I was told by a deaf person last night in class (she was visiting) that even though I am technically "late-deafened" I should not use that label. I should state that I am deaf and have been most of my life. She says that based on the levels of my hearing loss, that I was actually considered deaf while still in elementary school. I thought I had to be in the severe to profound range to be considered deaf, but she says it's actually moderate to severe loss. She was born deaf with a profound loss in both ears from being a rubella baby. She signs and can speak, but only uses that in rare instances. She will rather use pencil and paper before speaking.

I was actually able to sign slowly with her and she slowed down for me as well. Only for 8-10 words did our instructor translate something for me or correct my signing. Not bad for me.
 
my daughter began noticing that she was unable to hear certain sounds about 3-4 years ago. (male voices in particular) about 2 years ago, it became difficult for her to hear the whistle of a teakettle, or the buzzer on her clothes drier outside in the garage (from inside the house.) a year ago it became difficult for her to hear on the telephone. each year her loss becomes more progressive.

We have been told she will eventually be totally deaf, we just don't know when it will be, or if she will wake up one morning suddenly and completely deaf - or if it will continue slowly and gradually. We have been told that her loss is neurological in nature, because the "low tones" are missing first, and the high tones are becoming increasingly more painful as time goes on.

she is considered "late-deafened" we are told, because she has had all of this happen to her while she is an adult. As a child, she had no particular hearing loss that we detected.

I hope I have conveyed this information properly.
 
I am late deafened since I acquired language wayyyyy before my hearing loss started. But when ppl ask I say I am deaf and then if they say oh ur voice is good blah blah how come? i will explain if they are interested...

KristinaB- I don't really consider you late deafened much either and have always wondered why you use this term to identify with since you were hoh as a baby/toddler? I consider late deafened to be after you've acquired language well. This is the definition I kind of go by According to the Association of Late Deafened Adults:

“Late–deafened usually means deafness that happened post–lingually, any time after the development of speech and language. Often it means after the age of adolescence (13 and above). Usually a late–deafened adult (LDA) has identified with hearing society through schooling, social connections, etc. They are usually unable to understand speech without visual aids such as speech–reading, sign language, and/or Computer Aided Real–time Transcription (CART). They also may have lost their hearing suddenly or gradually as a result of inherited causes, accident, illness, medication, surgery, noise or other factors. LDAs also can share in the common experience of having been raised in the hearing world and having become deaf rather than having been born deaf.”
 
I always considered late-deafened people who used to be hearing.
 
agreed I just don't find your hearing when you are a toddler to count really ...so if you lose your hearing when you're one or 2 i wouldn't consider that person late-deafened as they still are not fluent in speech and language yet...just my opinion tho..
 
AliciaM said:
agreed I just don't find your hearing when you are a toddler to count really ...so if you lose your hearing when you're one or 2 i wouldn't consider that person late-deafened as they still are not fluent in speech and language yet...just my opinion tho..
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I have the same point of view. I guess everyone has their own POV on what it means to be late deafened. Whatever they feel comfortable with, works for me.
 
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