I am a new hearing person with a deaf son

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Sherri RN4u2

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I am new. I have been reading many posts and I can't believe how tough this crowd/community can be.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with anyone... but I was a little scared to post or even introduce myself... and to be quite honest that isn't me.
I am not intimidated by much these days.

Why did I join? I joined to learn.

I am a mother to a 9 month old boy named Nicholas. He was born with a syndrome called "BOF" which stands for Branchio-Oculo Facial Syndrome. One of the features of this sydrome may be deafness. My son is hard of hearing, or has moderate to severe hearing loss as a part of his syndrome.

We are learning sign language. I just completed ASL 1 and plan on continuing with the classes as I really enjoy them.

He has been diagnosed with a conductive hearing loss at this time, with further work up in progress as to why.

This is all for now.
I hope to learn from you and please be nice to the new people whether they can hear or not, we are all the same......Special and loved by our creator.

More later.
God Bless
 

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:welcome: Hi Sherri, i am a hearing parent of a deaf child too. I felt the same too when i first joined but you will see that are people at this forum that do give a lot of support. There will always be a few posts here that you won't agree with but don't let it get to you. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion even though you won't agree with them all. Such a cute baby by the way! :)
 
Hello. I'm a Hearie with a Deaf child. I like a lot of people here and ignore the rest. It's a good place to learn. I just soak up everything and then filter it myself. Good luck.
 
Herzlich Willkommen zu AD

Come and share your posts here with us :thumb:

Your son is cute... :D
 
Welcome! BTW congrats on your efforts to learn how to communicate with deafies though ASL, only less than 10% of hearing parents with deaf child have this willness to learn sign language! Your son will thank you BIG time, trust me! My parent is one of these 10%.
 
Welcome aboard, I'm glad that you're giving a chance to learn sign language for your son. ;)
 
:welcome: to AD!
That is great that you are learning ASL to communicate with your son :)
BTW, your son is so cute!
 
Welcome to AD and i hope you enjoy the site.. so happy posting away!!! :)
 
Your son is very cute. He reminds me of my cousin's baby who is a couple of months now. He reminded me because I remember watching him being bathed like he is. He enjoyed bath time lol.

I know why you may feel intimidated, but there is not one way to raise a deaf child. Only you know what is best for your child. Searching all of the resources available will help you be open to all of the possibilities that is possible for your son.
 
Beautiful baby! I am hearie mom with deaf son, too. Its great that you want to explore all your options. My son is 20 now, and if I hadn't looked to the people who know the most about deafness--the Deaf community, I would have made many mistakes that could have caused lasting problems for my son. The more you can learn, the better decisions you will make. Just always remember, you see things as a hearie. You have to take your son's perspective into consideration as a deaf person. You do that and you will be fine. And yes, learn ASL and expose him to it as early as possible!
 
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Definitly continue with Sign. I know the mentality is that we hoh kids aren't "deaf enough"........but you know, I think that since most of the time hoh kids, just get Hearing Health 101, that it's better to give hoh kids ALL the tools possible!
I can't believe how tough this crowd/community can be.
Click to expand...
It has really moderated in recent years.
I saw you're in Boston! Are you hooked up with DEAF INC, The Learning Center for Deaf Children, Beverly School for the Deaf or Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hoh? Don't contact SHHH since, the Boston SHHH is really more of an auxerailly for oral deaf kids. And the Boston AG Bell is FILLED to the BRIM with stereotypical high acheiver oral deaf kids.
 
thank you all so much for the welcome

Thank you all so much for saying HI and giving me the "NEWBIE" advice that I so need.

It is funny to hear (I mean read :Oops: ) you call hearing people "HEARIES" LOL :lol: as when I read "hearies" I saw HAIRIES, and i was like what in the world is a "hairy?" A crazy hearing person???

VENTING TIME......

I wish my "hairy" Hubby was open to ASL... he is in such DENIAL about Nicholas. I mean he talks to him like he can hear.. I keep saying and showing him how to talk and sign at the same time.... he keeps saying that I know he can hear me.....
He reminds me of the person who talks really LOUDLY to the Russian person thinking that if they talk loud enough that the language barrier will go away. We always talk louder to them expecting them to understand what we are saying.... IT's like WAKE up you BOZO, the Russian lady is not deaf !!!
I feel like this with my husband....I feel like my husband and I even have a language barrier between us at this time in our lives. We just can't seem to agree on Most things...
What's a MOm to do ? :dunno: I am doing the best I can. I took this year off from work to be with him and learn all I can.

Nicholas has had 8 surgeries in the first 9.5 months of his life.
He is having his 9th surgery this Thursday.... For those of you spiritual folks, please send prayers.
The only other thing that he needs to have done this year is have his feeding tube removed, which will be done in August.
This Thursday my little guy will be having his tear ducts created in both of his eyes. He was born without tear ducts. We originally thought that his ducts were just blocked but when he had a surgery to attempt to open them, the EYE surgeon said that we would have to reschedule as there was nothing to open, he doesn't have ducts, they will need to be created with Tubes that will be sewn into place for the next 3 months.


The good news is.... My other two kids (Rachel 6 and Lauren 4) really enjoy learning sign language. I am teaching them how to sing/sign the ABC song, which the little guy LOVES...
It is so amazing the way that he studies my hands when I am doing this with him. He loves it...
I have seen him "babbling" in ASL to him self.. AND today he finally signed "more" to the yummy blueberry applesauce that i was giving him tonight at dinner. (this is a first) but it made me feel so good to see him do it and then when I got all excited, he got all excited and started smiling and got all squirmy in his seat.... It was sooooo cute!
The Learning Center for the Deaf is part of Nicks early intervention process. We are having in home classes this summer with the two girls to learn how to play with him and sign with ASL. If you all have any suggestions as to how to get through to my husband, I am open to your suggestions. (We are already seeing a counselor)

Thanks for listening... GOD BLESS
 

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