Deaf person seeks peers

Miss-Delectable

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http://www.chicoer.com/letters/ci_3500646

When my 44-year-old daughter was growing up in the '60s, '70s and '80s, "they" -- the government, schools, the deaf-in-denial and the ignorant bureaucrats -- decided deaf children should not ever learn American sign language but should be mainstreamed into regular schools and learn to speak. So, my daughter is now able to speak, but she can't hear. She fits nowhere.

When she was growing up, and as recently as three years ago, I took her to speech therapy, had her hearing tested (it's deteriorating), had her fitted for different kinds of hearing aids and inquired everywhere I could to find her help.

I took her to the university and Butte College. They do not teach sign language for deaf people or know of anyplace that does. The Nor Cal Center for the Deaf is no longer in Chico, but they too only taught sign language for people who wanted to be interpreters, not to teach the deaf to communicate. My daughter is lost. Her physical and mental health is declining because of the stress she's had to live with for so long. She has no friends.

My question is, can you help her? Do you know where she can learn American sign language for the deaf, and be with her own peer group. Her emotional and physical health is of great concern. She needs to know American sign language -- and other deaf people. Please help us.

-- Marti Lorber Hicks, Chico
 
The Deaf club will help her if she is with the right Deaf crowd, also go to the nearest Deaf school for more information.
 
Letters like these are the REASON why dhh kids should learn Sign even as a second language. Very few dhh kids can totally integrate into the hearing world......even the superstars have social problems.
 
Wow, bless her heart! I am reading a book right now that deals with that very issue. It's called "Deaf Life Me", and it makes me so sad people wouldn't let the kids learn ASL!
 
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