 UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! |
 Sound and Fury: General Discussion [all categories]
 Sound and Fury
 Cochlear Implants (Page 2)
|
| This topic is 2 pages long: 1 2 | next newest topic | next oldest topic |
| Author | Topic: Cochlear Implants |
|
bberryblur New Member Posts: 1 |
posted 03-27-2007 08:51 PM
  
I think that cochlear implants are a great invention because they can help deaf people hear. Nobody wants to be born blind and nobody wants to be born deaf. Nobody is born perfect, but if an invention is made to help a person do something that they couldn't do before, then I think that is great. |
|
ASL Student New Member Posts: 1 |
posted 02-15-2008 10:30 AM
I just wanted to say, that I am an ASL I student, and we watched this video in class. It was upsetting to see everyone arguing in the video. I may be a hearing person, but I am somewhat involved in Deaf culture. I think that the baby boy SHOULD have gotten the implant. My reasoning is: He will be familier with Deaf culture. His family is, so the would expose it to him. He can also take off the implant at any point in time. He has a choice. It allows for him to choose when he is older. I know I can not properly describe Deaf culture, it is too intricate. I love being able to sign and fingerspell. It makes me happy to be a part of a Deaf/Hearing culture. |
|
samiamkc Member Posts: 2 |
posted 06-02-2008 01:38 PM
My name is Sherri from Kansas City, Missouri. I have a six year old daughter who is deaf. She was born with some hearing which helped her to gain enough speech and language development to fool her pediatrician for three years. So, she went undiagnosed until it became apparent that something was very wrong. She was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing impairment which quickly progressed to severe to profound loss. She was fitted with hearing aids and we started her in an all-day auditory/oral program at St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf--Kansas City, where she learned to correctly listen and speak. We debated the issue of sign language and the total communication approach. But, statistics are dismal for deaf children who remain in public schools, where IDEA and No Child Left Behind, which were put in place to include the handicapped, effectively serve to undermine FAPE in cochlear implant habilitation and rehabilitation. It's not doing the ASL and TC community any favors either. Public schools are choosing the mode of communication in which deaf and hard of hearing children communicate. Public schools are taking away the basic right to freedom of speech for the deaf and hard of hearing! We should all agree to disagree on the argument of CI vs. deaf culture and focus on the atrocities happening every day within the public school systems across this country. With the dismal statistics regarding deaf education in public schools (most graduate with a fourth grade reading level--if they graduate at all) why in the world are we still arguing the same, tired, old argument? In July, 2007, at the age of five, we made the heavy decision to fit her with a cochlear implant. At that time, she was nearly two years behind in speech and language development. Six months after CI implantation, she was, and remains, age appropriate in all areas tested. It's truly amazing! It's hard for me to imagine ignoring CI in this day and age of such advanced micro-technology. I can't imagine ignoring such advanced technology in my own everyday life. Imagine using archaic computers, outdated software, quit the use of text messaging, cell phones, ipods, digital cable, instant messaging, or banish the internet altogether. Believe me, there are days when I love that thought. But, again, it cannot be ignored and thanks to advanced technology, we're able to post to this forum and speak openly. I want my daughter to consider herself a part of the deaf community, but how about a part of a secondary deaf community that can integrate with the primary, where implants and speech and language are first and signing is used as a compliment? We must never forget that when our daughter takes off her implant, she is deaf. [This message has been edited by samiamkc (edited 06-02-2008).] |
|
LoveBothMyCIs New Member Posts: 1 |
posted 08-02-2008 05:52 PM
I have bilateral cochlear implants (two of them!) and am very happy with the implants - this technology is truly life-changing! I received my first implant back in 2001 and my second one in 2007, just as soon as my insurer approved coverage of the second implant. I grew up with "normal hearing" and lost hearing in both ears in my my early 30's (am in my early 50's now). As far as your questions go, since I grew up with "normal hearing" and had "normal hearing" most of my life (at least so far!) I think I can give some answers. I feel that I function as a "hearing person" and most people that I meet would have no idea that I am deaf. I am not a musician and do not play the guitar so have not tuned a guitar of played a guitar, either before or after my implants. I enjoy music in the car (have satellite radio for strong signal) and am about to receive new upgraded speech processors from my manufacturer that I hope will improve music appreciation. I believe that all of the implant manufacturers are now working on things like musis appreciation and such as most implant users that I know understand speech and use the telephone - music appreciation and the other subtleties of sound seem to be where the implant manufacturers are now focusing. I think if you have normal hearing and were standing beside me, our experience would be very similar, depending on the listening situation and the accoustiacl environment. Now that I have two implants, I feel much more balanced and feel that my speech understanding in noisy environments has improved dramatically. Hope this info helps to answer your questions!
quote: [This message has been edited by LoveBothMyCIs (edited 08-02-2008).] |
|
Cole New Member Posts: 1 |
posted 11-12-2008 10:40 PM
I have a twelve year old son who was born deaf , aided until 7 and implanted since then. I understand why someone who has adapted to the world as a deaf person may not want to be implanted themselves but I cannot understand the general resistance to this technology in the deaf community. Hayden interacts comfortably with hearing and deaf children. He hears, he speaks, he signs. The decision was very easy for us because we simply wanted Hayden to have as many opportunities available to him as possible and we want him to be known for what he can do , not defined by what he cannot do. We have never made any efforts to disguise his condition but we do not want him to hide behind it either. Whenever he seems that he may be using his impairment as an excuse we simply remind him that everyone has something that they must overcome. He is not part of the deaf culture or the hearing culture. He is part of the human culture. We all have struggles and obstacles, Hayden is no different. |
| This topic is 2 pages long: 1 2 All times are ET (US) | next newest topic | next oldest topic |
  |
|
Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.42a
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 1999.