Doctors againsts ASL

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RonJaxon

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I read comments like this a lot here about doctors being against ASL.

I've personally never seen this happen. I've been going to doctors all my life and of course growing up with hearing aids and become deaf I've talked to doctors about my ears and hearing more times then I can count and I've never had a hint of any doctors saying "You should get your ears fixed and not learn ASL". But I can also see it from a doctors point of view.

Think about what a doctors job is. People come to them when something is wrong. Something isn't working. They aren't feeling well. They are sick or hurt.

Their job is to find out what's wrong and figure out how to fix it. Their job is not to tell you how to live your life. You go to them and say, "I am loosing (or lost) my hearing. Is there anything that can be done to give me back the ability to hear"?

No doctor should ever answer that question with:

"Well, I might be able to but I won't because you don't need it. All you've got to so is learn ASL and teach all the people in your life ASL and you'll get along fine without being able to hear".

Can someone do just that? Learn ASL, teach their friends and family ASL and live a happy and fore filled life without being able to hear? Of course they can. Thousands of people are doing just that. But why would a doctor suggest that to someone? No, they need to examine the situation. Find out why the person can't hear. Look into what might be able to restore this person's ability to hear and share this information with the person who "Wants to hear". Most likely they'll need to send the patient to someone who specializes in this area of course.

But a doctor is not there to help people determine these things. They are there to find what's wrong or what someone wants "fixed" and find the best way to fix it. To say, "Ok, I examined you and this is why you lost your hearing. Now here are possible options to regain your ability to hear. Here are the pro's and cons of each possible solution to what you want. I'd suggest this but the end decision is up to you."

I'd personally be upset if a doctor told me that I shouldn't get my hearing fixed when I asked if it was possible. If they told me that I shouldn't go that route and just learn to live with it. Because it's not his job to determine that for me if I ask them specifically "Is there any way I can hear again?" That kind of suggestion should come from a counselor, therapist or psychologist. Not a "physician".

So don't expect a "physician" to ever suggest you just learn ASL and live with your deafness. It's not their job to make that decision. Their job is to see if there is a way for you to hear again if you want to.

Ron Jaxon
 
The complaint is that doctors are crossing that line by telling parents that deaf children shouldnt learn ASL if they want their deaf child be normal. If they just keep within their professional boundaries, I have a feeling that more deaf children would have grown up with ASL.

As a person working in the field of Deaf ed, it is a story I have heard over and over again by the parents to why they chose not to expose their children to ASL. My parents were some of them who were told by doctors not to use ASL with my brother and I.

They need to stick to what they know and that is implanting children but stay away from Deaf education and language development.
 
I believe that doctors should be educated enough to know that SNL cannot be "fixed." Did they sleep through their ENT classes and rotation? I had an audiologist tell me to go to an ENT. If she doesn't know this simple fact, she should find another career as this one obviously is not a good match for her.
 
Well, the big conteversey is that they're giving people with deaf children non-medical advices that is in the realm of linguistics.
 
The biggest problem is that it is hard for any doctors to suggest Sign Languages.

First thing they do is give you medical advice-- CI
 
And yes, doctor do tell you how to live. We get our parenting, sex education, how to raise ADHD child, etc. from the advice of a doctor.


They even ask the parents to leave so they could talk to your child.


It's all part of well-baby checkup.
 
Lighthouse77 said:
And yes, doctor do tell you how to live. We get our parenting, sex education, how to raise ADHD child, etc. from the advice of a doctor.


They even ask the parents to leave so they could talk to your child.
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I don't know if that is normal practice! I would not ever have left my children until they were old enough to say they would prefer privacy.
 
I'd personally be upset if a doctor told me that I shouldn't get my hearing fixed when I asked if it was possible. If they told me that I shouldn't go that route and just learn to live with it. Because it's not his job to determine that for me if I ask them specifically "Is there any way I can hear again?" That kind of suggestion should come from a counselor, therapist or psychologist. Not a "physician".
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I would be upset if a doctor tell me I should get my hearing "fixed", or I will be "cured" , or I can "hear again" like it is a miracle. I do know doctors who tell me some surgeries are not really necessary if I ask them about it (like tonsil removal and such) and that I can be perfectly fine without the surgery. Is it that hard for a doctor to tell a patient that deaf people can live a perfectly well adjusted life without the CI?
 
Lighthouse77 said:
I would be upset if a doctor tell me I should get my hearing "fixed", or I will be "cured" , or I can "hear again" like it is a miracle. I do know doctors who tell me some surgeries are not really necessary if I ask them about it (like tonsil removal and such) and that I can be perfectly fine without the surgery. Is it that hard for a doctor to tell a patient that deaf people can live a perfectly well adjusted life without the CI?
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It depends on what prism one is looking through...

For one person, their cup is half full but for another it is half empty.

I'm much happier being able to hear than not. But each to their own...
 
sr171soars said:
It depends on what prism one is looking through...

For one person, their cup is half full but for another it is half empty.

I'm much happier being able to hear than not. But each to their own...
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The problem is that those in the medical community would seize a statement like yours and try to apply it to the whole deaf/hoh population.
 
shel90 said:
The problem is that those in the medical community would seize a statement like yours and try to apply it to the whole deaf/hoh population.
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How so? I didn't categorically state that everybody's cup is half empty. I thought I made it clear that it is a 50-50 proposition.

Yeah, I can see what you mean though...it depends on who you are talking about ;)
 
sr171soars said:
How so? I didn't categorically state that everybody's cup is half empty. I thought I made it clear that it is a 50-50 proposition.

Yeah, I can see what you mean though...it depends on who you are talking about ;)
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I mean the statement on how you are happier being able to hear than not. General society sees a statement like that from a deaf person and try to impose on all of us and wonder why many of us are just fine not being able to hear. Doctors are infamous for doing that. I have seen so many studies and testomonies from those in the medical community taking what deaf people they have selected to interview and use their words to further their agendas.
 
shel90 said:
I mean the statement on how you are happier being able to hear than not. General society sees a statement like that from a deaf person and try to impose on all of us and wonder why many of us are just fine not being able to hear. Doctors are infamous for doing that. I have seen so many studies and testomonies from those in the medical community taking what deaf people they have selected to interview and use their words to further their agendas.
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Out of curiousity, do you wear your HA's anymore? If you woke up tomorrow and lost your residual hearing, would it bother you?
 
faire_jour said:
Out of curiousity, do you wear your HA's anymore? If you woke up tomorrow and lost your residual hearing, would it bother you?
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I am talking about how doctors apply it to the WHOLE population. This is not about just me only. If I wear HAs, it doesnt mean that other deaf people should wear HAs. My brother doesnt wear them so should he have to because I like them? That's the whole point and doctors and audis keep doing that.
 
shel90 said:
I am talking about how doctors apply it to the WHOLE population. This is not about just me only. If I wear HAs, it doesnt mean that other deaf people should wear HAs. My brother doesnt wear them so should he have to because I like them? That's the whole point and doctors and audis keep doing that.
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I was just curious, sorry.
 
faire_jour said:
I was just curious, sorry.
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I was never never against CIs or deaf people wanting to hear. I am against the view of oral-only that that ASL should never be exposed at all or used as a last resort.

It just seems like that view comes strongly with CIs and i just want to change that. Get the CIs if they want but expose the child to both worlds and languages.
 
shel90 said:
I was never never against CIs or deaf people wanting to hear. I am against the view of oral-only that that ASL should never be exposed at all or used as a last resort.

It just seems like that view comes strongly with CIs and i just want to change that. Get the CIs if they want but expose the child to both worlds and languages.
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So you don't want to answer? That's ok.
 
shel90 said:
I mean the statement on how you are happier being able to hear than not. General society sees a statement like that from a deaf person and try to impose on all of us and wonder why many of us are just fine not being able to hear. Doctors are infamous for doing that. I have seen so many studies and testomonies from those in the medical community taking what deaf people they have selected to interview and use their words to further their agendas.
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People are people the world over regardless being hearing or deaf or otherwise. Everybody has an agenda period. Since the majority of the world is hearing (probably 97% or more in the scheme of things), it puts the DEAF in the untenable position trying to claim being deaf is normal. It is not but that doesn't mean one can't be content in that state. Thus, the crux of the whole matter...

This is the message that the hearing world doesn't get very well. Therefore, the battle continues for better or for worst. It is unfortunate that the individuals who prefer being DEAF get trampled in the process sometimes. There are no easy answers in dealing with this issue. The hearing world simply needs to listen and learn that there are folks out there who don't want to hear at all. They have no idea what these folks struggle with and what it takes to "hear" with assistance of some sort (if they can be assisted at all). It is just a messy situation all around with no easy answers.

That all being said, I agree with you and others that those with hearing impairments need all the tools they can get to make the best of their lives. They have to live with that reality of being deaf not the hearing.
 
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