Quick question.. or two.

[LoveBlue]

Interesting, that's not how the Mayo clinic Doctors explained the terms to me. So their incorrect?

I was 35 when I started lossing my hearing. I consider myself late-deafened...I was hearing for 35 years (and beyond as I did not start noticing the hearing loss till I was in my early 40's). That's more than 1/2 my age, so yeah, late-deafened.

 

[Anij]

Interesting, that's not how the Mayo clinic Doctors explained the terms to me. So their incorrect?

How did they explain it?

(keep in mind that the Mayo clinic drs are hearing and likely have little contact with the Deaf Community or ASLers)


People who become Hoh or Deaf at 50+ typically have what is commonly called "Age related hearing loss". Basically the hairs in the ear which transmits sound start to fall out, and not regrow (the go bald), or they become brittle and unable to transmit sounds. Also many people of this age also have noise induced hearing loss from various things in life (noise induced hearing loss can happen with very loud noise over a short period of time, or moderately loud sounds over a long period of time.)
People with this type of hearing loss are very different than those who are late deafened (or LHoh) due to trauma/injury, illness/infection, or genetic issues.

 

[Anij]

I was 35 when I started lossing my hearing. I consider myself late-deafened...I was hearing for 35 years (and beyond as I did not start noticing the hearing loss till I was in my early 40's). That's more than 1/2 my age, so yeah, late-deafened.

Yep, I'd consider 35 a good example of LD

 

[deafdyke]

Personally, I wouldn't consider you late deafened unless you were an adult when you lost your hearing, but that's just me.

Like me, you would be HOH.

Yeah, you're late dx HOH. You've said you've taken to ASL and Deaf culture like a fish to water, And your audi says you've prolly had the loss since birth.....you're just late dx, not late deaf.

 

[kellycat]

If you approach the Deaf community and you are an oral communicator, you would be a lot better of identifying yourself as HOH. Somebody will let you know if you are Deaf later!

Good point...My post was in response to OP talking about confusion caused when telling hearing teachers, etc. about hearing loss. I just meant that hearing people may not assume you can hear better than you can if you just cut to the chase and say "I'm deaf", even though it may not be technically correct from a scientific/audiology standpoint.

I fully get that the Deaf Community would have other opinions, based on cultural identity and language, and all that. OP seems much more concerned about running into stupid hearing people than stupid deaf people!


Oooh, just re-read that...please don't think I'm saying Deaf people who have opinions about whether someone qualifies as deaf are stupid...just trying to make a parallel statement and write that in a cute way.

 

[jaylizabethh]

What color hearing aids are you going to get? And I have noticed some youngHOH from HOH families gravitiating towards ASL and deaf culture, which I think is very cool......I mean when our parents were young you were HOH which meant you were assummed not to need the deaf world.

I'm thinking my first ear moulds will be blue and green swirls. and the actual hearing aids are going to be beige. Lol. We decided I should learn ASL because it's progressive and I'm becoming more (d)Deaf every day. :P

 

[jaylizabethh]

and thanks everyone. :3 I think I have a slight understanding now. hahaha.

 

[CareyJay]

This thread helped me too.
I am medically hoh, but around hearing people (unless I have reason to think they're fairly knowledgeable) I say I'm deaf because that's less confusing for them.

 

[Anij]

Wirelessly posted (Blackberry Bold )

What color hearing aids are you going to get? And I have noticed some youngHOH from HOH families gravitiating towards ASL and deaf culture, which I think is very cool......I mean when our parents were young you were HOH which meant you were assummed not to need the deaf world.

I'm thinking my first ear moulds will be blue and green swirls. and the actual hearing aids are going to be beige. Lol. We decided I should learn ASL because it's progressive and I'm becoming more (d)Deaf every day. :P

My mould is blue with green swirls I love it

My BTE itself is tan (darker than beige) which matches my dark blonde hair. I much prefer it tot the clinical beige.

My next HA will likely be a more fun colour - I played it 'safe' for my first HA, but now I know I want something more "me" (I'm 34 btw).

 

[kellycat]

This thread helped me too.
I am medically hoh, but around hearing people (unless I have reason to think they're fairly knowledgeable) I say I'm deaf because that's less confusing for them.

Yeah, we often need things explained in small, simple words. Sometimes with pictures. lol

 

[deafdyke]

I'm thinking my first ear moulds will be blue and green swirls. and the actual hearing aids are going to be beige. Lol. We decided I should learn ASL because it's progressive and I'm becoming more (d)Deaf every day. :P

AWESOME!!!!! You do know you can go to Deaf camp and/or attend a school with a dhh program or even a deaf school right? That would tip you over into complete and total immersian.