So many questions- Please help!

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misssamelia

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We just found out that our almost 2 year old is hard of hearing. We don't know how bad it is, but we will find out Friday at the Audiologist. But I have so many questions, and I want to be sensitive to the deaf and heard of hearing culture. Like, how do you pick a sign name for them and other people of the family (siblings). Are you constantly looking up words, or is there an easier way? What all do I need to know? I'm lost and confused and just want to do the best for my son. TYIA.
 
You're at the right place! I think it ROCKS that you want your son to have ASL and Deaf culture!!!! YAY......My best advice. Contact your state's School for the Deaf....they will really be able to help you a LOT....
 
Some states have a mentor program where Deaf adults teach families with Dhh kids ASL etc........there's a plethora of information out there!
 
Once he has his doctors visit they will set you up with tons of info. Lots of deaf schools and some other places offer ASL classes for all age ranges :) Don't worry about sign names yet, that'll come later.
The most important thing you can do is breathe -- I know it seems like a huge deal now but it's really ok.
 
welcome to AD! first off sign names, I wouldnt worry about it. usually that comes with time as sign names tends to "fit" the person personality. First your son gotta learn ASL and he is 2. Right now he just needs to learn baby signs and its same for all deaf or hearing parants. they have baby first sign books.
I wouldnt worry about doing the sensitivity thing -- it will come to you in time and as long you love your child and will stand up for him then its all will come natural to you.
 
I definitely understand that "oh my god how are we going to do this?" feeling :). We are in the process of finding out what our three year olds hearing loss is (she just seemed to suddenly lose her hearing in December so it has been a complete change for us and we are still waiting on answers). Like others have said, just take a moment to breathe. I am the type that likes to plan a lot, so that has really been the hardest thing for me- learning to slow down and realize that everything will be fine and we will learn and do things in the time that they need to be done in. I will say, it is good that you are finding things out now when he/she is young and you can get interventions and help in place early. Like deafdyke mentioned, contacting your state School for the Deaf is a good idea. They can give you information and might even offer sign classes (I know FL School for the Deaf and Blind [FSDB] offers classes, I am taking the beginning class right now). There are resources out there to help you along with this, you are definitely not alone :). This site has been a big help to me, even just lurking around and reading things. Feel free to send me a private message if you would like and I can try to answer some questions or help alleviate some of your nerves from the perspective of a parent dealing with a child's hearing loss. It will be fine, though, just keep telling yourself that. Kids are resilient and I am sure your child will start picking up signs quickly (start showing him/her signs for things you do every day- bath, toilet, eat, etc.- and you will be surprised at how quick they will pick it up, my three year old already knows quite a few words that we have been able to teach her).
 
Hi!
Since your son is under two, I am sure that once you get a diagnosis, the audiologist/drs will get you connected with your state's Early Intervention program, and answer your qs.
It is a process and overwhelming - I found out immediately that my son had a hearing loss but the feelings are the same. The first thing I did outside of the medical/technical stuff having to do with appts and hearing aids was to learn as many signs are I could and start using them with my son. Just through the Internet, signing time videos, and a dictionary app on my phone I have probably learned hundreds of signs.
As a family with my older daughter we started ASL class at the local school for the deaf last night.
I am a planner and a thinker, but some things are out of my control, and I also need to slow down and remember to do one thing at a time. My mind is racing ahead to preschool, elementary, etc etc and he is only 8 months old...I need to live in the moment for the good of all of us.
I have enjoyed this forum though and received lots of helpful answers from the folks on the boards. Good luck!
 
don't listen to that guy

hey there

I would recommend you not to listen to “deafdyke”. I’m deaf myself and I wouldn’t recommend you to contact the state’s deaf schools. From what I heard, they’re not doing so well lately. (depends on which state).

Since your son is hard of hearing, my best suggestion is to send him to a regular school with a mainstream program. If his hearing isn’t sO bad and is able to HEAR things/words, then he should be fine with listening to the teachers BUT… will his hearing get worst as he gets older? If so, then best to start sending him to a school with mainstream programs (where they provide sign language interpreters in a regular class). That way he can interact with hearing children and deaf children and have both access to communication (spoken English and sign language). Best of both worlds. I know I’m off the point here and you only ask for sign names, it’s just that, “deafdyke”’s comment took me off guard and I wanted to just clarify! 

As for sign names, it’s up to you, your family, and most importantly, it’s up to the son too. Sometimes parents choose a temporarily sign name b/c they do not know the child’s personality. Then overtime, when they discover the personality, they change the name. some people use the first alphabet .. like if your name’s Colleen, you would use the letter C and do something with it, like shake it in the air… for your name… people still do that but it’s FUN and unique if you don’t use the alphabets.. like for example, if your son LOVEEE candy, you can sign “candy” as his sign name. there’s no rule. Be creative.



misssamelia said:
We just found out that our almost 2 year old is hard of hearing. We don't know how bad it is, but we will find out Friday at the Audiologist. But I have so many questions, and I want to be sensitive to the deaf and heard of hearing culture. Like, how do you pick a sign name for them and other people of the family (siblings). Are you constantly looking up words, or is there an easier way? What all do I need to know? I'm lost and confused and just want to do the best for my son. TYIA.
Click to expand...
 
Moelza said:
hey there

I would recommend you not to listen to “deafdyke”. I’m deaf myself and I wouldn’t recommend you to contact the state’s deaf schools. From what I heard, they’re not doing so well lately. (depends on which state).

Since your son is hard of hearing, my best suggestion is to send him to a regular school with a mainstream program. If his hearing isn’t sO bad and is able to HEAR things/words, then he should be fine with listening to the teachers BUT… will his hearing get worst as he gets older? If so, then best to start sending him to a school with mainstream programs (where they provide sign language interpreters in a regular class). That way he can interact with hearing children and deaf children and have both access to communication (spoken English and sign language). Best of both worlds. I know I’m off the point here and you only ask for sign names, it’s just that, “deafdyke”’s comment took me off guard and I wanted to just clarify! 

As for sign names, it’s up to you, your family, and most importantly, it’s up to the son too. Sometimes parents choose a temporarily sign name b/c they do not know the child’s personality. Then overtime, when they discover the personality, they change the name. some people use the first alphabet .. like if your name’s Colleen, you would use the letter C and do something with it, like shake it in the air… for your name… people still do that but it’s FUN and unique if you don’t use the alphabets.. like for example, if your son LOVEEE candy, you can sign “candy” as his sign name. there’s no rule. Be creative.
Click to expand...

WHAT THE?!!?!?!?!?! I'm sorry but even the schools for the Deaf, where most of the kids are mentally disabled provide EXCELLENT early childhood.
Plus HOH kids can and DO benefit from Deaf Ed, just as much as kids with audilogically deaf (severe and profound losses) ....Did you know that early on the students in deaf schools do pretty well...it's just when kids from the mainstream transfer that things start screwing up....I do think MANY parents if not most parents of HOH kids would be amazed at the services and quality of education via Deaf Schools early childhood......
I think that parents need to stick with FORMAL sizable programs. Meanign yes, state Deaf Schools, but ALSO see if there are any formal sizable dhh programs.....The trouble with inclusion/mainstreaming is that they tend not to have the specialized services/training that even HOH kids can benefit from.
I know many HOH kids who attended Schools or programs for the Deaf and they really thrived in them.
 
and the thing is................virtually ALL hoh kids get exposure to the hearing world. You don't nessarily need to worry about speech stuff or exposure to the hearing world with the overwhelming majority of HOH kids......
It's too easy for kids to fall through the cracks in an inclusive setting....besides what's wrong with learning with other dhh kids? NOTHING!
 
Moelza said:
Since your son is hard of hearing, my best suggestion is to send him to a regular school with a mainstream program. If his hearing isn’t sO bad and is able to HEAR things/words, then he should be fine with listening to the teachers BUT… will his hearing get worst as he gets older? If so, then best to start sending him to a school with mainstream programs (where they provide sign language interpreters in a regular class). That way he can interact with hearing children and deaf children and have both access to communication (spoken English and sign language). Best of both worlds.
Click to expand...

That may be true for some children who are able to benefit from both worlds. However, I respectfully disagree with your view of setting a deaf child in a classroom with an interpreter in a regular class. For some it works, for some it doesn't. For a child at the age of 2/3 - it is best to be in a whole signing setting to be able to have complete attention to pick up on environmental stimulation. When the child is in elementary level with an interpreter in a regular class, she/he will get frustrated with missing important information during the conversation, and not only that, it will already be confusing enough to switch back and forth constantly. It's easier to stick on one thing and go from here. To each it's own, I suppose.
 
Jolie77 said:
That may be true for some children who are able to benefit from both worlds. However, I respectfully disagree with your view of setting a deaf child in a classroom with an interpreter in a regular class. For some it works, for some it doesn't. For a child at the age of 2/3 - it is best to be in a whole signing setting to be able to have complete attention to pick up on environmental stimulation. When the child is in elementary level with an interpreter in a regular class, she/he will get frustrated with missing important information during the conversation, and not only that, it will already be confusing enough to switch back and forth constantly. It's easier to stick on one thing and go from here. To each it's own, I suppose.
Click to expand...

Jolie, exactly! What I am arguing for is a few years in a specialized program (whether deaf school or dhh program) to get her the Deaf services she needs. I would argue for this placement if she was blind/low vision too....(again, so that she could benefit from blind specific training/education that wouldn't be available in a mainstream/inclusive classroom) Besides, she needs to LEARN ASL, FIRST before she can use a 'terp.
Moleza, how long has it been since you dealt with a school for the Deaf? Their services (especially early on) can be awesome.........and just b/c she might attend a Deaf program early on, it wouldn't mean that she's stuck for life in that program......
 
Moelza said:
hey there

I would recommend you not to listen to “deafdyke”. I’m deaf myself and I wouldn’t recommend you to contact the state’s deaf schools. From what I heard, they’re not doing so well lately. (depends on which state).

Since your son is hard of hearing, my best suggestion is to send him to a regular school with a mainstream program. If his hearing isn’t sO bad and is able to HEAR things/words, then he should be fine with listening to the teachers BUT… will his hearing get worst as he gets older? If so, then best to start sending him to a school with mainstream programs (where they provide sign language interpreters in a regular class). That way he can interact with hearing children and deaf children and have both access to communication (spoken English and sign language). Best of both worlds. I know I’m off the point here and you only ask for sign names, it’s just that, “deafdyke”’s comment took me off guard and I wanted to just clarify! 

As for sign names, it’s up to you, your family, and most importantly, it’s up to the son too. Sometimes parents choose a temporarily sign name b/c they do not know the child’s personality. Then overtime, when they discover the personality, they change the name. some people use the first alphabet .. like if your name’s Colleen, you would use the letter C and do something with it, like shake it in the air… for your name… people still do that but it’s FUN and unique if you don’t use the alphabets.. like for example, if your son LOVEEE candy, you can sign “candy” as his sign name. there’s no rule. Be creative.
Click to expand...
Bitter deaf school grad.
deafdyke said:
WHAT THE?!!?!?!?!?! I'm sorry but even the schools for the Deaf, where most of the kids are mentally disabled provide EXCELLENT early childhood.
Plus HOH kids can and DO benefit from Deaf Ed, just as much as kids with audilogically deaf (severe and profound losses) ....Did you know that early on the students in deaf schools do pretty well...it's just when kids from the mainstream transfer that things start screwing up....I do think MANY parents if not most parents of HOH kids would be amazed at the services and quality of education via Deaf Schools early childhood......
I think that parents need to stick with FORMAL sizable programs. Meanign yes, state Deaf Schools, but ALSO see if there are any formal sizable dhh programs.....The trouble with inclusion/mainstreaming is that they tend not to have the specialized services/training that even HOH kids can benefit from.
I know many HOH kids who attended Schools or programs for the Deaf and they really thrived in them.
Click to expand...
Never been to a deaf school but loves them.
Jolie77 said:
That may be true for some children who are able to benefit from both worlds. However, I respectfully disagree with your view of setting a deaf child in a classroom with an interpreter in a regular class. For some it works, for some it doesn't. For a child at the age of 2/3 - it is best to be in a whole signing setting to be able to have complete attention to pick up on environmental stimulation. When the child is in elementary level with an interpreter in a regular class, she/he will get frustrated with missing important information during the conversation, and not only that, it will already be confusing enough to switch back and forth constantly. It's easier to stick on one thing and go from here. To each it's own, I suppose.
Click to expand...

Didn't notice the qualifiers of the bitter deaf school grad.


:wave:
 
Botti, excuse me, but again the early childhood part of Deaf School/dhh program can be great. I have encountered a LOT of Deaf Schools and programs......Many of them do have the advantage that they have specialized teachers, and people fluent in ASL etc. Ask ANY parent of a kid who transferred them from a mainstream setting to a dhh program/school, and they will tell you the differences are AMAZING and don't even compare.
A mainstream school/program generally doesn't have that sort of stuff....and that's pretty much the REASON why specialized schools still exist.....
Heck, the major problem with a local neighborhood school is that even in the special ed programs, they generally don't have the resources or training to teach dhh kids beyond a minimal accomondations approach.
Besides, what's so wrong with taking advantage of specialized education? Some kids might be able to do a split placement for example, so they get both Deaf Ed and ASL, and the abilty to take advantage of a speech therapist who might be familiar with dhh students, but also exposure to hearing classes. Yes, I know that Deaf ed was really watered down when you were young....but a kid isn't automaticly going to get a better education by being placed in an inclusive setting....very often kids in an inclusive/mainstream setting are cheated out of services/education etc.
 
deafdyke said:
Botti, excuse me, but again the early childhood part of Deaf School/dhh program can be great. I have encountered a LOT of Deaf Schools and programs......Many of them do have the advantage that they have specialized teachers, and people fluent in ASL etc. Ask ANY parent of a kid who transferred them from a mainstream setting to a dhh program/school, and they will tell you the differences are AMAZING and don't even compare.
A mainstream school/program generally doesn't have that sort of stuff....and that's pretty much the REASON why specialized schools still exist.....
Heck, the major problem with a local neighborhood school is that even in the special ed programs, they generally don't have the resources or training to teach dhh kids beyond a minimal accomondations approach.
Besides, what's so wrong with taking advantage of specialized education? Some kids might be able to do a split placement for example, so they get both Deaf Ed and ASL, and the abilty to take advantage of a speech therapist who might be familiar with dhh students, but also exposure to hearing classes. Yes, I know that Deaf ed was really watered down when you were young....but a kid isn't automaticly going to get a better education by being placed in an inclusive setting....very often kids in an inclusive/mainstream setting are cheated out of services/education etc.
Click to expand...

You scare a lot of hoh people away with all this pushiness.
 
Botti, I'm just saying that she might find Deaf ed helpful that's all......and I know many HOH folks who wish they'd gotten Deaf ed. I also know many people who have sent their hoh kids to deaf schools......I was simply encouraging her to check it out.....and by Deaf ed, I mean both Schools and regional programs. Deafness is low incidence....it's not genrally going to be catered for at a lot of inclusive settings. I wish it was different.....but it's true.
 
Moelza said:
hey there

I would recommend you not to listen to “deafdyke”. I’m deaf myself and I wouldn’t recommend you to contact the state’s deaf schools. From what I heard, they’re not doing so well lately. (depends on which state).

Since your son is hard of hearing, my best suggestion is to send him to a regular school with a mainstream program. If his hearing isn’t sO bad and is able to HEAR things/words, then he should be fine with listening to the teachers BUT… will his hearing get worst as he gets older? If so, then best to start sending him to a school with mainstream programs (where they provide sign language interpreters in a regular class). That way he can interact with hearing children and deaf children and have both access to communication (spoken English and sign language). Best of both worlds. I know I’m off the point here and you only ask for sign names, it’s just that, “deafdyke”’s comment took me off guard and I wanted to just clarify! 

As for sign names, it’s up to you, your family, and most importantly, it’s up to the son too. Sometimes parents choose a temporarily sign name b/c they do not know the child’s personality. Then overtime, when they discover the personality, they change the name. some people use the first alphabet .. like if your name’s Colleen, you would use the letter C and do something with it, like shake it in the air… for your name… people still do that but it’s FUN and unique if you don’t use the alphabets.. like for example, if your son LOVEEE candy, you can sign “candy” as his sign name. there’s no rule. Be creative.
Click to expand...


I was mainstreamed...it SUCKED!!!

Deaf school where he can talk with anyone without a terp and language is fully accessible 100% of the time or being mainstreamed where he can't talk to anyone without a terp where language access is very restricted? Which to choose? :hmm:
 
Being late deafened, can't give much input here....it's possible that kindergartners and elementary kids would do better at a Deaf School, but middle and high schoolers?....As when I went to a deaf school they gave me tersting and I skipped 3 grades...Hence, in a public school, don't think that would have been the case.....Just sayin'.....
 
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