New mama with lots of questions!

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Mamawuly

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My son is 4.5 months old. He was diagnosed with moderate to moderately severe mixed hearing loss based on two unsedated ABRs. A sedated ABR is planned in 3 months time. We have our hearing aid consultation next week and then our first early intervention evaluation the week after. So here are my questions for all you great folks:

1. Besides talking to him as much as I can, what else should I be doing right now? I got the Signing Time videos as a start but I feel so overwhelmed at the idea of learning more than just baby signs. Taking care of an infant is hard enough and there arent enough hours in the day to myself! Should I be taking ASL classes at a community college?

2. I've read through a lot of the threads on here and get the sense that many people wished they learned ASL earlier and/or weren't mainstreamed but a lot of those posters have severe or profound loss. Anyone with moderate loss that can speak specifically about their experiences?

3. How much speech/hearing can I expect if my son is aided given a moderate to moderately severe hearing loss? What are your thoughts on trying for English as his first language and ASL as his second? With moderate loss, he might not even qualify for deaf school so I'd like to better understand the mainstream experience of a HOH child.

4. Anyone from CA since it seems like each state handles education services differently?

I guess that's it for now :P Thanks in advance to this forum!
 
Mamawuly said:
My son is 4.5 months old. He was diagnosed with moderate to moderately severe mixed hearing loss based on two unsedated ABRs. A sedated ABR is planned in 3 months time. We have our hearing aid consultation next week and then our first early intervention evaluation the week after. So here are my questions for all you great folks:

1. Besides talking to him as much as I can, what else should I be doing right now? I got the Signing Time videos as a start but I feel so overwhelmed at the idea of learning more than just baby signs. Taking care of an infant is hard enough and there arent enough hours in the day to myself! Should I be taking ASL classes at a community college?

2. I've read through a lot of the threads on here and get the sense that many people wished they learned ASL earlier and/or weren't mainstreamed but a lot of those posters have severe or profound loss. Anyone with moderate loss that can speak specifically about their experiences?

3. How much speech/hearing can I expect if my son is aided given a moderate to moderately severe hearing loss? What are your thoughts on trying for English as his first language and ASL as his second? With moderate loss, he might not even qualify for deaf school so I'd like to better understand the mainstream experience of a HOH child.

4. Anyone from CA since it seems like each state handles education services differently?

I guess that's it for now :P Thanks in advance to this forum!
Click to expand...

You can request ASL early intervention services. Definitly take classes. The good news with HOH kids is that you generally don't need to be really super worried about speech. Many hoh kids develop spoken language skills , even without intense therapy. There is SOME risk that hoh kids may have spoken language delays
2.
I'm HOH and was mainstreamed and oral. Although I have a lot of residual hearing my experience growing up was IDENTICAL as to kids with "deaf" losses. When I was little I thought I was the ONLY hoh kid in the universe.
I strongly believe the overwhelming majority of HOH kids can and should benefit from ASL, deaf ed and deaf culture. We get many many hoh folks posting here saying " I wish I'd gotten ASL and Deaf culture/deaf classes. Instead all I got was speech therapy."
I know a lot of kids with HOH losses who attend Deaf schools/programs.
You might want to get this book to read for your son: On the Fence: The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing by Mark Drolsbaugh Assistive and Hearing Aids Products - Deaf, Hearing Loss, Sign Language
3.HOH kids generally don't have major issues with their spoken language.....it's not something to be super worried about, the way it can be with deafer children. Yes, go for ASL as his second language.....He may not qualify for deaf school, but on the other hand he may benefit from a dhh program. I also think that by the time he's old enough for school, they may be a bit more flexiable as to Deaf School placement. About the only states that have a rigid audiogram based admissions policy are Virginia and NY.
 
deafdyke said:
You can request ASL early intervention services. Definitly take classes. The good news with HOH kids is that you generally don't need to be really super worried about speech. Many hoh kids develop spoken language skills , even without intense therapy. There is SOME risk that hoh kids may have spoken language delays
2.
I'm HOH and was mainstreamed and oral. Although I have a lot of residual hearing my experience growing up was IDENTICAL as to kids with "deaf" losses. When I was little I thought I was the ONLY hoh kid in the universe.
I strongly believe the overwhelming majority of HOH kids can and should benefit from ASL, deaf ed and deaf culture. We get many many hoh folks posting here saying " I wish I'd gotten ASL and Deaf culture/deaf classes. Instead all I got was speech therapy."
I know a lot of kids with HOH losses who attend Deaf schools/programs.
You might want to get this book to read for your son: On the Fence: The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing by Mark Drolsbaugh Assistive and Hearing Aids Products - Deaf, Hearing Loss, Sign Language
3.HOH kids generally don't have major issues with their spoken language.....it's not something to be super worried about, the way it can be with deafer children. Yes, go for ASL as his second language.....He may not qualify for deaf school, but on the other hand he may benefit from a dhh program. I also think that by the time he's old enough for school, they may be a bit more flexiable as to Deaf School placement. About the only states that have a rigid audiogram based admissions policy are Virginia and NY.
Click to expand...

She siad his hearing loss is moderate to severe. Doesnt sound HOH to me.
 
deafdyke said:
You can request ASL early intervention services. Definitly take classes. The good news with HOH kids is that you generally don't need to be really super worried about speech. Many hoh kids develop spoken language skills , even without intense therapy. There is SOME risk that hoh kids may have spoken language delays
2.
I'm HOH and was mainstreamed and oral. Although I have a lot of residual hearing my experience growing up was IDENTICAL as to kids with "deaf" losses. When I was little I thought I was the ONLY hoh kid in the universe.
I strongly believe the overwhelming majority of HOH kids can and should benefit from ASL, deaf ed and deaf culture. We get many many hoh folks posting here saying " I wish I'd gotten ASL and Deaf culture/deaf classes. Instead all I got was speech therapy."
I know a lot of kids with HOH losses who attend Deaf schools/programs.
You might want to get this book to read for your son: On the Fence: The Hidden World of the Hard of Hearing by Mark Drolsbaugh Assistive and Hearing Aids Products - Deaf, Hearing Loss, Sign Language
3.HOH kids generally don't have major issues with their spoken language.....it's not something to be super worried about, the way it can be with deafer children. Yes, go for ASL as his second language.....He may not qualify for deaf school, but on the other hand he may benefit from a dhh program. I also think that by the time he's old enough for school, they may be a bit more flexiable as to Deaf School placement. About the only states that have a rigid audiogram based admissions policy are Virginia and NY.
Click to expand...

You should do a research project on deaf schools, so that way when you write you have actual information to back it up. You just write off the cuff about what you heard, when reality doesn't always match up with what you've read/heard.

You'll note the OP implied she was from CA. I'll refer you to this post:

http://www.alldeaf.com/introduce-yourself/109441-mom-teen-who-needs-some-answers-3.html#post2151810
 
Mamawuly- you can get family sign language classes written into your child's IFSP. Someone can and will come to your home to work with your child and teach you how to sign.

Whereabouts in CA are you? The schools for the deaf are in Riverside and Fremont. They can provide you with additional information as well. I know that the schools also offer online/Skype (?) type ASL sessions for families who want to learn but don't have anyone to teach them. I believe they do it for families of children up to age 5 or 6.
 
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I have a moderate-severe in my left ear here! (right ear is severe too) also welcome to AD
 
CSign said:
You should do a research project on deaf schools, so that way when you write you have actual information to back it up. You just write off the cuff about what you heard, when reality doesn't always match up with what you've read/heard.

You'll note the OP implied she was from CA. I'll refer you to this post:

http://www.alldeaf.com/introduce-yourself/109441-mom-teen-who-needs-some-answers-3.html#post2151810
Click to expand...

Excuse me CSign, but admission criteria to many Deaf Schools/programs has gotten less strict especially with CIs and oral kids being served at the state schools, rather then the old oral only programs. I know many many people who actually WORK at Schools for the Deaf.....they say they're seeing HOH and oral kids..You CAN actually work the system for Deaf School/program placement, As is evidenced by the fact that quite a few Deaf Schools DO have a significant HOH population. You're also assuming that the current admissions criteria is going to stand fast. I predict that they will start accepting HOH kids so they can serve a lot more of the population. I also think that they will realize that not everyone lives in a good school district, so the Deaf School could be an option for both audilogically deaf AND hoh kids who are stuck in towns where the education is really bad.
 
and not to mention that she could attend a regional dhh program. It's getting a lot more common to see HOH kids at deaf schools/programs.
 
Mamawuly said:
His range is 40-65 db by air and 30-45 db by bone if that helps?
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Welcome to AllDeaf..
Sounds as if hearing aids will be of great benefit to your son. All your talking to your son will be of great help, even if theres a lot he might not hear. He probably understands some already, and it will improve dramatically once he can hear. Still, communication is the most important... So continue with signs. You will benefit from it all your life.


We used sign language with our daughter, well, signs. We never reached a level that I would call "sign language" because our daughter started hearing and speaking after she had her CIs. But to have signs in the transition period between no sound and sound was wonderful. She stopped using sign after about 1 year... We seldom use the little Signe know... Just in the couple of minutes before she goes to sleep.
But in the future, she might want to take it up again. who knows.


So, keep on signing, keep on talking and look forward to the time that your son can hear... It makes a world of difference.
 
:roll:
Cloggy said:
She siad his hearing loss is moderate to severe. Sounds HOH to me
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Thanks for the mocking. I guess in your country bullying others is accepted.
 
Wirelessly posted

I have moderate to profound loss in both ears and I benifit GREATLY from hearing aids. I do speak very well along with ASL. Just do not be fooled by her hearing aids. She still will be HOH and will not hear everything. Work with her, to expose both ASL and speech. She will have the best of both worlds.
 
Thanks everyone for the supportive responses. I will work on learning some basic signs for now and start using them with my son. Too bad at his age he does a lot of crying with his eyes tightly shut :/
 
Wirelessly posted

:doh: Your son? I thought it was daughter. My bad....
 
Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

shel90 said:
She said his hearing loss is moderate to severe. Doesnt sound HOH to me.
Click to expand...

Out of curiousity - what do you consider Hoh?



Typically Hoh covers everything from mild to severe hearing loss (or oral who are profound and prefer to not identify as "deaf")
 
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deafdyke said:
Excuse me CSign, but admission criteria to many Deaf Schools/programs has gotten less strict especially with CIs and oral kids being served at the state schools, rather then the old oral only programs. I know many many people who actually WORK at Schools for the Deaf.....they say they're seeing HOH and oral kids..You CAN actually work the system for Deaf School/program placement, As is evidenced by the fact that quite a few Deaf Schools DO have a significant HOH population. You're also assuming that the current admissions criteria is going to stand fast. I predict that they will start accepting HOH kids so they can serve a lot more of the population. I also think that they will realize that not everyone lives in a good school district, so the Deaf School could be an option for both audilogically deaf AND hoh kids who are stuck in towns where the education is really bad.
Click to expand...

With all due respect, your predictions mean squat. You need to understand the way things work now, and it's clear to me that your understanding is a bit fuzzy.

The OP's child more likely than not, would not qualify to attend one of the CSD. If there is even just a slight bit of hope, she would first need to get her child's primary category of eligibility changed to deaf. And that is a fight in and of itself. That's just to start with.

I'm not saying I like it- but that's the way it really is.

I have friends/know people who work at schools for the deaf too. What's your
point? Just because one person says something doesn't make it so.
 
As I understand it, the deaf school in Fremont is voices off, right? With a moderate to moderately severe diagnosis, I'm hopeful that my son can speak english as his first language and ASL as a second language. So in that case, wouldn't I want him to mainstream? Or I read about some DHH programs at certain schools that sound promising that use auditory-oral or total communication styles.
 
Mamawuly said:
As I understand it, the deaf school in Fremont is voices off, right? With a moderate to moderately severe diagnosis, I'm hopeful that my son can speak english as his first language and ASL as a second language. So in that case, wouldn't I want him to mainstream? Or I read about some DHH programs at certain schools that sound promising that use auditory-oral or total communication styles.
Click to expand...

CSDF is voice off, they use the Bilingual/Bicultural philosophy. They teach English through reading and writing. I personally would not encourage pursuing placement at an auditory-oral program.

As your child grows, you will see where he would be best suited for an academic placement. With his degree of hearing loss, there is a very good chance that he can and will develop speech skills.

I don't know where you are located, and what type of local program you have in your area. If you are in NorCal, there is a great school in Berkeley (CEID) that uses a Total Communication approach. It essentially translates into using spoken language in conjunction with Signing Exact English. This allows the child to have complete access to the English language along with visual support to clarify what's being said if they didn't hear it. It can allow the child to internalize the rules and syntax of English in a natural/incidental way without always formally teaching it to them. In a sense, it allows DHH children to acquire English in a similar way hearing children do.

He is still a bit young to determine what type of placement he'll need when he is in elementary school. If mainstreaming is determined to be the most appropriate for him, he can (and should) have an interpreter.

Many people mistakenly think that because their child has developed speech skills that they don't "need" sign language. Majority of the time, that is not the case. There is a big difference between expressive and receptive language.

Once you hit 10 posts, feel free to PM me.

What general part if CA are you from?
 
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