What's a difference between deaf and hard-of-hearing?

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K9r8i7s6

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Hi. I am not sure if I am idenitifed myself correctly being deaf or hard-of-hearing now. I'm pretty confused because there are too many definitions and meanings for deaf and hard-of-hearing. The doctor told me that a person with 90 db or more hearing loss is deaf and hard-of-hearing person has mild-profoundly hearing loss. And also someone who is deaf and very involved with deaf culture. He told me that person with very involved and active with deaf community is deaf and hard-of-hearing person has no contact or does not want to involve with deaf community. THere are much more different meanings. Ahhh!!

So I am pretty much involved with hearing community with very little deaf community. I can carry my conversation by using my voice or sign language. I think I am getting more confused. I need your opinion and help!

Thank you. :confused:
 
Insamuch as I am convinced that lables are mostly useless, it seems that you are who you are, K9r8i7s6... yourself!
 
I'd say you probably lean toward hard-of-hearing. HoH people can be and often are members of the Deaf community, though.
 
I agree with HOHGuy, and also want to add that there are deaf who aren't involved with Deaf culture.
 
fyborg said:
Insamuch as I am convinced that lables are mostly useless, it seems that you are who you are, K9r8i7s6... yourself!
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Yeah, I think you are right, find your identity that means simply find your individuality, and thats who you are!!

Kashveera
 
Well there's cultural Deafness, and then there's physical Deafness.
You can ID as Deaf even thou u might only be hoh.
 
Yea it's very confusing. I called myself hearing impaired. I've socializes with deaf people and also hearing people. Therefore I can be fixed into both worlds. When I said I'm deaf, someone complain complain that I do hear some and have good speech. When I said I'm hard of hearing, someone complain that I didn't hear high pitch or catch words. Oh geeesh ... just say I'm hearing impaired and that's it. I'm just an old fashioned lady.
 
Sunshine1 said:
Yea it's very confusing. I called myself hearing impaired. I've socializes with deaf people and also hearing people. Therefore I can be fixed into both worlds. When I said I'm deaf, someone complain complain that I do hear some and have good speech. When I said I'm hard of hearing, someone complain that I didn't hear high pitch or catch words. Oh geeesh ... just say I'm hearing impaired and that's it. I'm just an old fashioned lady.
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Eh, just be yourself and do not worry about what others say. :)
 
I know from my most hard of hearing friends.

Hard of hearings = you can hear well and can phone but you can hear only one person, not 2nd person... You get confused when 2 persons speak you on the same time. Talk to one person is okay or hear one sound - not 2nd sounds... Interesting...
 
Liebling:-))) said:
I know from my most hard of hearing friends.

Hard of hearings = you can hear well and can phone but you can hear only one person, not 2nd person... You get confused when 2 persons speak you on the same time. Talk to one person is okay or hear one sound - not 2nd sounds... Interesting...
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Yes I believe I know what you're talking about. It's alot easier for me to communicate one by one...not hearing group. With hearing group, as I had to relay mostly on lipreading to prevent misunderstood. It's like if I'm tennis watcher then I get headaches. For deaf group, that's NO problem because I can and read sign languages.
 
I don't act Deaf despite attending two schools for the Deaf.

I'm not hard of hearing enough to talk on the phone. I remember tyring to learn how to use the phone at NTID and the pizza man hung up on me. I use relay nowadays.

I guess I'm just me. :cool:
 
I was born hearing and have lost my hearing very slowly years by years.
I think I'm on borderline at a point between being hard of hearing and deafness. I cannot understand speech without HAs. I wear two digital aids and have to lipread to understand speech and as Liebling said I cannot understand well 'multiple persons' talking together . I do fairly good on phone at times but not always.. I often get tired of hearing world and do like visual world and simple signs. I like silence more often than hearing world.

I think I'm getting closer and closer to deaf world as years passes and preverse my hearing world as well. Two distinct worlds in one soul :)

As a result, I cannot decide completely if I am deaf or hard of hearing. I'm like :confused: and :dunno:
 
Try this on for size. I was born hearing, but due to chronic ear infections my whole life I have a moderate hearing loss, mostly in the higher frequencies. My voice sounds "normal." With my HA I can hear almost normally, and without them I can still hear kind of okay one on one and in small groups. Technically I'm almost hearing, but I can't call myself hearing because hearing people don't wear HA. :) I don't call myself hearing impaired.
 
Hey everybody, I feel little relieved that I am understanding about your thoughts and feelings except several said, "just be yourself". I really like to have some thoughts about being myself than just confusing whether I am deaf or hard-of-hearing. Thank you everybody.
 
K9r8i7s6,

I can understand what you're asking, but at the same time, the others have told you what you should say. As for me, I, generally speaking, don't discuss my hearing loss with people, as it's really none of their business. Neither is the reason I have a hearing dog, although I do get a kick out of them when they get the response from me about her and then reply, "okay!" Yeah, right, it better be "okay," as I didn't tell you this information to gain your acceptance or approval (shoving sound to those who ask onto the floor). (Hearing) People are pretty ignorant, of which there is absolutely no excuse why they should be.

Btw, if I need a "label," then call me "hard-of-hearing/deaf."
 
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this topic is pretty good

so yeah i have been there and was so confused either i shud fit in deaf world or hearing world but at same time its very annoying because with deafs, the sign language is so simpler to understand not having to worry about reading lips but they get upset because i can talk well or hear well enough than they do and it just gets into BIG DRAMA for anything like that, but when im with hearings, they just normally complains how i talk and how i dont really hear or say "huh" to them if i keep missing what htey are saying so but they also complains if im signing to a deaf person they get jeaous and feel left out so its sorta funny trying to fit in so evenutally i gave out and said fuck it im gonna be myself and not care what they think and if they cannot accept me for who i am and hs to accept my Hearing impaired that i cannot do anything and if i could i would get it fixed to hear everything good but pretty much im happy with what i am , the way i am, and who i am... sure theres days im struggling for this issues but i dont let that bother me!

so yeah maybe i dont need to label myself with deaf or hoh or hearing... just label me as a normal person with problems! or maybe ear problem!

but we all knw for sure hearings can be very very ingorant to us deafies and basically accuses deaf "dumb and muted" or whatever i think they need to stop judging first and learn more of this person and that can be very surprising about this person!
 
My mother labeled me HoH bec she said I speak, and hear with my HA. I respected her but I labeled myself as Deaf bec I know ASL, Deaf culture, involved with Deaf community, went to Deaf school in my whole life, have Deaf friends.
 
I'm hearing impaired... because sometimes when I went to a movie....
My hearing aid battery is low... I got so mad.... I can't hear a dawn thing.
 
RedheadGrrl said:
My mother labeled me HoH bec she said I speak, and hear with my HA. I respected her but I labeled myself as Deaf bec I know ASL, Deaf culture, involved with Deaf community, went to Deaf school in my whole life, have Deaf friends.
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Same here. I can hear and speak very well but I call myself :deaf: with a capital 'D'! because I'm culturally Deaf, a CODA (Child of Deaf Adult - mom) and went to a residential school.
 
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