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kg2789

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Hi there all, my name is Kayla. I became interested in ASL about two years ago when I found out I was expecting my first child. I decided I wanted to go to school, and start learning so that I could teach him, and we'd have a special way of communicating before he could ever talk. Well, since I started learning, my son has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Recently, he's failed 4 hearing tests, and we're waiting to get into Akron Children's Audiology department for a brain stem test, which he has to be sedated for, to find out if he's actually going deaf or not. Regardless, I have everyone in my family hounding me to get him implants if he can not benefit from just hearing aids. Personally, I would not care if my son was deaf or not. I just hate the constant pressure of everyone telling me that he needs to hear. Of course people are going to say that, considering they've had their hearing all their lives... I just find it rather difficult, especially being so comfortable with Deaf individuals, and their opinions matter to me as well. Would they think differently of me if I chose to get my son cochlear implants? Even though I'm still encouraging getting a Deaf Educational Teacher to help him more with sign language? What are some of your opinions?
 
get the implants. and do the signs both. why throw away the chance of the kid being able to develop his hearing as much as possible. i lost my hearing at 1 years old so i know what i am missing. but i have also got along ok with being deaf.
 
I've met a lot of people who've decided to get implants and love them. My son was born hearing, but after he turned 1, he started to slowly lose his hearing after the epilepsy started. It all came about due to his vaccinations. At 6 months he got really sick, and had a high fever, which started the seizures, which we really bad until we got them under control with medications. After he got his 12 months shots, his hearing started to go. I don't know if it was just too much for his little body to handle, but he's went from being able to talk to me, to not talking at all. I get him to sign to me words like 'Thank you,' 'mom' 'bath' 'milk' etc.... My mom is the one person in particular who has been pushing me. It's very stressful. VERY! And everyone of my friends have blamed me for this happening to him. None of it is my fault at all. God has his reasonings. I just want to make sure I'm doing what is best for my son without a world of judgment. But it'll happen regardless. Just like I had a lady one day at the store talk behind my back because I was signing to my son... "How can a deaf lady have a child?".... Of course my smart remarks came out and I told her... "Excuse me, I'm not deaf, by my son is... And who are you to judge a person whether they can hear or not? Just because someone is deaf doesn't make them bad people, or incompetent of raising a child. Have a nice day." She felt really crappy after that. But, again, like I said, it's been a very stressful process. I'm just making sure that I want what is best for him, and not just for me.
 
welcome to AD!
my hearing loss was indentfied at 10 months old and I was fitted with hearing aids so I'm still wearing them!!!

BTW, I'm about to get Oticon Safaris next year (they're purple)
somewhere in January 2011
*my Oticon Gaias are 5 yrs old now and my backup sets has already died*

the hearing aids U see in the picture was my very 1st pair I had as a baby
(analog Siemens Infinti S1)
 
kg2789 said:
Hi there all, my name is Kayla. I became interested in ASL about two years ago when I found out I was expecting my first child. I decided I wanted to go to school, and start learning so that I could teach him, and we'd have a special way of communicating before he could ever talk. Well, since I started learning, my son has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Recently, he's failed 4 hearing tests, and we're waiting to get into Akron Children's Audiology department for a brain stem test, which he has to be sedated for, to find out if he's actually going deaf or not. Regardless, I have everyone in my family hounding me to get him implants if he can not benefit from just hearing aids. Personally, I would not care if my son was deaf or not. I just hate the constant pressure of everyone telling me that he needs to hear. Of course people are going to say that, considering they've had their hearing all their lives... I just find it rather difficult, especially being so comfortable with Deaf individuals, and their opinions matter to me as well. Would they think differently of me if I chose to get my son cochlear implants? Even though I'm still encouraging getting a Deaf Educational Teacher to help him more with sign language? What are some of your opinions?
Click to expand...
For the bold, that depends on which group you ask.

But my opinion is you shouldn't worry about that until you have more testing and find out what the problem is. Lots of things are not fixed by cochlear implant.
 
I believe we are all talking about communication ? By far the majority are in the hearing side of the equation. Therefor anything one can do to improve communication should be or is important. From that point, learning sign as well as any aids or implants that will improve communication with the majority should be seriously considered. I'm deaf but have aid on one side and a CI on the other. Looking to the possibility of getting a second CI. I was not born deaf but went that way over a long period of time. Just my opinion. I guess from the comment of freckles I'm not deaf even with two CI as I can hear with them and they are an aid? W/O which I could not hear. I guess its a case of interpretation/semantics. Anyway if some one or group does not like or approve of what you do then probably not a very good friend/group anyway. Do what you think is best. Look at all the information you can get and make your decision on your own and live with it knowing in your heart you did your best for your child and yourself.
 
Awwww damn, I had a long response typed out and then my computer screwed up.
Opposition to CIs is pretty much dying. People are realizing that CI kids are functionally hoh, and they are still a part of the Deaf World/ Deaf Culture. Also, it's FAR too early to tell if he will or won't benifit from HA or CIs. CIs are very hyped...and they are great for kids who get little to no benifit from HAs....but there are still many kids who benifit significently from HA.
It's also good to have as many tools in your son's toolbox as possible.
Since you're in Ohio I would contact St Rita's and Ohio School for the Deaf for resouces and help.
 
Important you are using ASL with your son! Language development is the most important thing you can give to your son, IMO.

:Welcome: to AD.

I am a deaf mother of two hearing children so thank you for telling that lady off. Shame on those hearing people who belittle us like that.
 
:welcome: to AllDeaf forum. Just feel and what is best for your child. Most important is to listen to your child's needs or rather look at your child's behaviors and his communication that he want to hear or not to hear. Many of your family and friends should not give you a hard time doing that to push you. That is not fair. I would feel comfortable for him to get hearing aid(s) so that he can hear some sounds. Most deaf and hard of hearing children could not pick up the words with hearing aids and that goes the same for CI. CI is just a tool for the deaf to hear just like hearing aids. :thumb:

You will learn a lot about our deafness and our experiences along with Deaf Culture. You can pick on any topic you want to discuss or debate with us. So have fun reading and posting all the threads here. See you around here. :wave:
 
Thanks everyone. I've taken a lot of classes in school already. I'm onto my third ASL class. I've taken Deaf Culture, as well as fingerspelling. My intepreting class was canceled on me, which I was really disappointed about. But, I tend to sit and learn new words on my own, and teach myself how to put words into sentences.

When I told the lady off at the store, I was asking my son in sign if he wanted sweet potatoes for dinner. And the fact that he nodded 'YES' to me, is what got the lady all bent out of shape.

It's just one step at a time. I know he can hear high pitches. But, he doesn't flinch to a dog barking, or a train passing by, but he'll sit in the middle of the living room and screech as loud as he can just so he can laugh at himself. He went from being able to form sentences, back down to just saying 'MOM'.... and signing to me.

I will keep everyone updated as to whenever I get more testings done. It'll be in October by time that happens. But thanks for all your imput, I appreciate it. =]
 
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