Deaf People and Autistic People?

[deafdyke]

I agree. I've seen several Deaf folks making fun of developed mentally disabled people :/. I always expect to see epistemic privilege kicking in, but that's not always the case.

Why do we get the warm and fuzzies when thinking that Deaf people should automaticly relate well to mentally disabled people?
I'm not defending making fun of mentally disabled people at ALL......but the thing is, mentally disabled people have a disabilty that pretty much Affects their mental functioning. They're essentially mentally kids and will always be that way. It's hard for someone who is mentally on par to relate well to an adult who functions as a little kid. And even people who are in the middle (say they have a severe LD but aren't quite typical but yet not so mentally affected that they're classfied as mentally disabled) can have trouble relating to mentally disabled adults/kids.

 

[deafdyke]

I see this is a very old thread but as someone who is autistic (mostly nonverbal though I can physically say some words verbally) AND hard of hearing I have to say that my experience learning ASL has opened up a whole new world for me. I feel like I have a lot in common with Deaf folk I have met as an adult and definitely share some similarities to them and have made many friends in the community. I do communicate MUCH better in signing than in English and only just became more fluent in written English, I will probably never be fluent in spoken English. But I do definitely have much better ASL skills and am now going through college level ASL classes and seem to be progressing well. I have had several of my tutors say there is no reason I could not be fluent in ASL someday. Also, I am very good at understanding body language and always have been and understanding feelings very well. My issues come more from sensory differences that are neurological that make hearing things different for me than others. I am extra sensitive to everything around me. I have no difficulty relating to people in ASL though. Every autistic person is different. Many of us consider ourselves an ethnic minority similar to the way Deaf people consider themselves an ethnic minority. We don't see ourselves as "disabled" just because we don't communicate in the same ways neurotypical people do. And we also have cultural customs and practices. Anyway, just thought I would add to this as someone who is autistic.

Chels, i think research may discover that some autism may be akin to say a combo of severe ADD and apraxia. Maybe that's why you found ASL to be such a useful path........

 

[caz12]

Every body got degree of autism just where you are in that spectrum,Deaf like everyone else can read up about it ask others Having child a challenge period...with my child we used makoten that is not a langage it a tool and had nothing to do with my deafness...sometimes i get little cheesed off with people putting lable on kids because kids no fit in to what we think the norm it to easy say got some sydrome it ease the parent rather than child

 

[deafdyke]

Every body got degree of autism just where you are in that spectrum,Deaf like everyone else can read up about it ask others Having child a challenge period...with my child we used makoten that is not a langage it a tool and had nothing to do with my deafness...sometimes i get little cheesed off with people putting lable on kids because kids no fit in to what we think the norm it to easy say got some sydrome it ease the parent rather than child

Well it's not nessarily putting a label on a kid......it's more like I think experts need to be very strict with their diganoseses........Like it almost seems like a kid who has speech failure and NOTHING ELSE, plus general social issues is automaticly dx as autistic, even when they don't have classic autistic features. I think experts and parents are forgetting that not all spoken language delays and social issues are automaitcly autistm.......

 

[chelseautie82]

I was finally evaluated by an audiologist who says I am "functionally" deaf. The more I learn and the more I immerse myself in the Deaf community the more I feel my issues were more lack of access to language rather than autism. It's the most bizarre thing. THe more I am taught in ASL the better my English and reading skills get. ASL is teaching me all these other things I had no language for before. Suddenly I have access to language and I am not having to guess at words all the time. Basically, my brain is deaf. LOL I have set up interpreters now and sign all the time, I only write if the other person doesn't know how to sign. Almost all my issues I previously had are gone. I agree, slapping a label on someone is dangerous. There are many autistic people who are not mentally handicapped. In fact, the majority of the diagnoses are now for kids who aren't mentally handicapped. I DO think Autism and Neurodiversity is a culture just like Deaf is a cultural minority group and I will always identify as proud Autistic but I do feel that there is a difference between me and someone who is severely disabled. Audism looks at me and calls me disabled, but if I have access to ASL and interpreters I am not disabled at all.

 

[Rock2HAL]

Last year I was tested and diagnosed w/Autism (high functioning...not Asperger's). I'm 39 years old. I know sign language. I mostly sign using SEE. I tried ASL but I can't sign correctly in ASL 'cause I can't understand how to do it. I have learning problems too which could be why it's hard for me? I am verbal but I mumble and I have an auditory processing disorder too plus I have ADHD/ADD which doesn't help either. lol! I have deaf/hoh friends & would like to talk to them more using sign language but I don't have a VP so it's hard to communicate in sign but I talk to them via email, text messaging, Facebook messaging, etc. Signing helps those like me on the spectrum to communicate with our hands when we can't say it clearly and/or correctly verbally. Have a good Friday, Everyone! Peace & Love! <3

P.S. Forgot to say that I have reading comprehension problems and have a hard time expressing myself clearly in person and online too. That's part of the Autism though. Thanks for your understanding.

 

[dotcomkari]

I think it depends on the person and the interaction that he or she has with people with other disabilities.. I personally am great with people with Autism as my son has Classic Autism. (I'm Deaf). But I have a friend who is Deaf and is very uncomfortable around my son because she hasn't had much experience with people with Autism before and my son, Kai, tends to have behaviors that are out of control

 

[so]

Oh **** what.no no no sign langauge is for Deaf, it was made up and used by deaf, what the HELLs wrong with you people? quaksters GTFO, stop meddling. We're not compariable to disabled groups...urgh this makes me sick.

Wow, what is sickening is that level of ignorance. Ironic ignorance furthermore, but I wont delve to deeply there. Not that I would take seriously someone who doesn't bother to spell-check, but in case this sentiment is shared by anyone else, here is one BIG similarity between higher functioning autism spectrum disorders and deafness : we prefer to view it as a difference, not a disability.

But lets break both 'disorders' or differences down to technicalities. BOTH are a technically a disability. Your ears are supposed to be able to perceive auditory vibrations. Likewise your brain is supposed to be able to interpret subtle social cues and employ executive function to realize the 'big picture' of any particular concept rather than a vast collection finer details. If you have either the former or the latter condition, you are technically disabled. You do not possess faculties that are commonplace for most humans.

As either a Deaf person or an Autistic person, we prefer not to focus on the technicalities. Our differences from the typical human, give us a different perspective on the world, that can be advantageous over the standard one is many applications.

To say a Deaf person isn't disabled, but an autistic person is (or visa versa) is just straight up bigoted segregation.

 

[dogmom]

I realize with folks on the spectrum, there are commonalities and ways of thought, patterns that are "ways of doing or thinking about things".

one significant thing that is different though, is that Deaf people have an actual language as well as a culture, from a sociological and general viewpoint. By definition culture includes language, customs, myths, history, art forms, and behavioral aspects.

Deaf people do not have a disability.

I personally do happen to have a disability. I have a learning disability.

 

[Bottesini]

Wow, what is sickening is that level of ignorance. Ironic ignorance furthermore, but I wont delve to deeply there. Not that I would take seriously someone who doesn't bother to spell-check, but in case this sentiment is shared by anyone else, here is one BIG similarity between higher functioning autism spectrum disorders and deafness : we prefer to view it as a difference, not a disability.

But lets break both 'disorders' or differences down to technicalities. BOTH are a technically a disability. Your ears are supposed to be able to perceive auditory vibrations. Likewise your brain is supposed to be able to interpret subtle social cues and employ executive function to realize the 'big picture' of any particular concept rather than a vast collection finer details. If you have either the former or the latter condition, you are technically disabled. You do not possess faculties that are commonplace for most humans.

As either a Deaf person or an Autistic person, we prefer not to focus on the technicalities. Our differences from the typical human, give us a different perspective on the world, that can be advantageous over the standard one is many applications.

To say a Deaf person isn't disabled, but an autistic person is (or visa versa) is just straight up bigoted segregation.

There is more than one deaf autistic here. You really don't know what you are talking about.

 

[whatdidyousay!]

I realize with folks on the spectrum, there are commonalities and ways of thought, patterns that are "ways of doing or thinking about things".

one significant thing that is different though, is that Deaf people have an actual language as well as a culture, from a sociological and general viewpoint. By definition culture includes language, customs, myths, history, art forms, and behavioral aspects.

Deaf people do not have a disability.

I personally do happen to have a disability. I have a learning disability.

I feel if a deaf or hoh person want to say they have a disability that is their business . I can't and won't speak for every deaf or hoh person.

 

[deafdyke]

Wow, what is sickening is that level of ignorance. Ironic ignorance furthermore, but I wont delve to deeply there. Not that I would take seriously someone who doesn't bother to spell-check, but in case this sentiment is shared by anyone else, here is one BIG similarity between higher functioning autism spectrum disorders and deafness : we prefer to view it as a difference, not a disability.

But lets break both 'disorders' or differences down to technicalities. BOTH are a technically a disability. Your ears are supposed to be able to perceive auditory vibrations. Likewise your brain is supposed to be able to interpret subtle social cues and employ executive function to realize the 'big picture' of any particular concept rather than a vast collection finer details. If you have either the former or the latter condition, you are technically disabled. You do not possess faculties that are commonplace for most humans.

As either a Deaf person or an Autistic person, we prefer not to focus on the technicalities. Our differences from the typical human, give us a different perspective on the world, that can be advantageous over the standard one is many applications.

To say a Deaf person isn't disabled, but an autistic person is (or visa versa) is just straight up bigoted segregation.

Oh really? So a person who is dhh but can function fully in society (ie socially,job wise, marriage,kids relationships etc) is disabled and someone whose preocuupations with people can be so intense that they can get accused of stalking, or who has such horrible social skills they can't even really interact normally or even get a basic fast food job isn't? Social skills ARE a HUGE HUGE key in life sucess you know.