I have been reading (and enjoying) several CI Kid blogs. I am reading them to get a feel for what it is like for kids growing up today with cochlear implants. How is it different from the way it was for the older deaf generation, and how is it the same?
The more I read, the more I see that an implant is like the hearing aids of yesterday, only better as the kids seem to hear so much better with their implants than deaf kids did with hearing aids long ago. (Not to mention that they don't have to deal with earmold feedback) Substitute the word "hearing aid" for "implant" in many of the CI kid blogs' experiences (like losing or misplacing an implant), and it will seem familiar to the older generation.
What is different is that these kids overall seem to do really well with their implants. They pick up language so much quicker and easier. I expect that the old "fourth grade reading level" statistic will be history within five years. Some of these kids are even reading and writing better than their hearing peers.
These kids seem very much like the oral kids of yesteryear. Will enough of them "cross over" to the signing deaf culture as they grow up to help keep the deaf community alive? If it were not for formerly "pure oral" deaf people who cross over, the signing deaf community would be much smaller than it already is.
As far as parents raising their deaf children bilingually, out of about 20 CI kid blogs that I am following so far, only a few are raising their children with both sign language and speech. One reason I am following the CI kid blogs so avidly is because I want to see how well the ones who grow up bilingually do both academically and socially, compared to the ones who grow up without sign language as a major means of communication. I use the term "major means" because I can see in several of the blogs that the parents use minimal sign language as a "bridge" when their children do not have the implants on.
Another difference I am seeing, is that many deaf people in the older generation who grew up oral had difficulty with their social lives and social skills. The implanted kids don't seem to be having this difficulty, so far. The parents who write these blogs describe their children as having no problems playing with hearing children.
Will these kids have a much easier time getting hired for jobs than the previous generation of deaf people when they grow up? I'm betting that they will, because they will have the benefit of: better speech, better language skills, better education, and better social skills.
Friday, September 14, 2007
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16 comments:
HEY !!!!!
It's too early to tell at this time BECAUSE this is not really a scientific status polling or survey. The numbers are really small and thus however these so-proud bloggers are doing their favors. You know the Truth isn't coming out NOT YET. The writers are just purely the parents' defense and observation view of what their deaf kids are being "graded" as what the parents are thinking in mind.
However, another matter should be considered -- the advance and technology of the education itself are very different as compared 20 years ago. The philosophy of whole teamwork has remained be seen to be very valuable into systemiscally be expontentially (astronocilly) improved as much better to be knowledgeable for the deaf kids needs during the youth time.
Let wait and see. Oh of course the level of education comparision would be gone for sure. That's good sign for all of us. That's number ONE important to show the prowess (the power) of being Deaf person into the world. Regardless what the today's deaf kids look like for our society's sake.
Don't worry -- things will come out and I am sure in a long run, lot of deafies will be "coming out of closet" for the interesting perspective of sign language. Like you see in Washington, DC culture -- you see in Deaf Professional Happy Hour in DC or Balto or others ... lot of CI's people will come out anyway. Still they have curious about sign language yes. Not in "Rock Old Time Toughie ASL Times" ... I think no more !!!! It will be something very "new atmosphere" for new-kind deaf culture of next 10 years.
Still alive in Deaf Way !!! Just change things like what World goes round and round.
Cheers, Charles
Thanks for your post. I'm curious if there is a blog for me to visit that has the whole family Deaf, like mine with a child who has CI? Thanks
I am always skeptical of those glowing parent commentaries claiming their kids are doing so well. They have an emotional investment and they are not going to ever admit when things are not going well.
Wait until those kids are grown and see how many of them discard their CIs in drawers and adopt ASL. Perhaps fewer than the oral generation, but it seems possible that they would rebel against the hype and overly anxious pressure on them all their years of growing up.
On the chance that a very large number are so successful that they complete university, obtain jobs and function as hearing people, it would not be wise to discredit the CI route.
Just try to be sure that it is a treatment done with realistic expectations, a relaxed attitude, and complete support including ASL in infancy.
Hi Jaime...I agree with ccm14er and Dianrez that it's too early to tell and that these blogs are a way to encourage others to have babies or children to get CI...just wait until they are adults, then hear their stories. I've met quite a few children and teenagers who have had CI and hates it, more that hates it and so far, haven't met one that loves it except for one adult who had it done...she used to speak highly of CI but not anymore...she speaks the same now as she did before she had CI (no improvement in speech). I'm not against ADULTS who wants to have CI, but not for babies/little children. Parents needs to accept when they find out their children are deaf, leave them be to stay deaf and learn ASL to communicate with them...that should be their first language as their FOUNDATION to begin with, before learning to speak as it's hard work and doesn't always work for everyone.
Yet it would be interesting to see how they are doing in 10-20 years (the ones you've been researching/reading on them).
So, if you can, save all these CI Kids' blogs and keep track of them over the next decade...wait and see how they do.
DeafWoman
Where could I see those CI Kid blogs? I'm curious to see them, too.
I agree that CI works much better than hearing aids for those who are profoundly deaf as it gives them access to spoken language especially at much younger ages. More and more deaf children receive CI and CI may become more common in the future just like hearing aids.
I visited several deaf schools in my area and most deaf preschoolers who attend there have deaf parents. Where are deaf children with hearing parents?? Are they mainstreamed at their local schools? Most deaf children are born to hearing parents and I don't seem to see many of them at deaf schools. Some of them are mainstreamed at public schools with deaf/hoh programs and others are mainstreamed at their local schools.
Greetings.
I thought I should pitch in my Canadian 2-cent here. :)
I'm a hearing person, and I have a friend who is deaf. She's the reason why I'm learning ASL... and I fell in love with the language.
I also live in a country officially "bilingual", although outside Québec, it is a daily fight to keep our French schools and the few universities that we have. They're a waste of taxpayers' money, as I hear too often. It isn't just at Gallaudet that we have to fight hard for the survival our linguistic universities. Our culture is at stake too.
So a fight for a culture, I feel some affinities here. :)
Cochlear implants are no replacement ears in any way, but they certainly have their merits.
Parenting is already a difficult task, parents need not to be judged for their decisions.
Kids with CI will cerainly have a better chance in life, I think that's a screaming evidence, pun intended.
They are basking in a hearing world, whether we like it or not.
I'm aware that a CI is viewed negatively, with the assumption that people are being pulled away from the deaf culture. Sounds like a fallacy in many ways.
When you say language, you say culture.
ASL is a language in its own right, and its culture rich.
There will always be deaf and hearing persons who will learn sign language and therefore basking in said deaf culture.
I speak French, my mother tongue and minority language in Canada. I also speak English, some Italian and German. ASL is the 5th language that I'm learning, and I'm in love with the language.
About the future of deafness, I don't see CI as such a big threat.
However I'm deeply worried of politicians who have control on taxpayers' money. They're the ones treathening the survival of schools. As a minority, we shouldn't have to fight hard for the survival of our schools funded with our money!
And I think that the future of deafness is tied in part with its schools, whether elementary schools throughout the country... and an university like Gallaudet.
All of these schools are vulnerable because they run in part or in full on taxpayers' money, and as a minority, there's a minority voice to the ears of some politicians... who for political reasons may be quite deaf... and may need a CI. :)
Cheers,
-E
Very well explained, Jamie. I am a parent of a child with cochlear implants and it really is true that the cochlear implant takes away much of the struggle of communicating with hearing people, learning spoken language, and socializing with hearing children. My son hears incredibly well in quiet (better than me, and I believe I have normal hearing), though is bothered more by background noise than hearing children. He attends a regular school and does not have an aide or interpreter with him all day. He has as much independence as any child in the class.
As much as I would like to get the word out that cochlear implants are not the evil some in the Deaf community make them out to be, I do not have a blog for my son. He is old enough that he can read (yes, he reads as well or better than hearing peers) and I don't want that much information out there about him for him or his friends to find. It's one thing to have a blog about myself, but I wouldn't post a whole bunch of stuff describing how my husband or other child navigates in the world, would I? It's sort-of an invasion of privacy once a child reaches a certain age (mine is almost 11). Plus, there is so much negativity and fear amongst some in the Deaf community, that I would not want him to be the target of mean-spirited posts. This has happened to friends of mine, and is regrettable.
There are many children like my son. He is by no means unique. And I highly doubt he'll stop using his implants. He LOVES them, and loves being able to hear. I asked him once if he thought he would ever want to stop using his cochlear implants altogether and he answered immediately and emphatically, "Never." I really don't see it happening, and this is just not wishful thinking. It would be the same as asking a hearing person if they would like to become deaf.
I agree with ccm14er. My reasons are historically based-during the first oralist efforts, the "successes" of oralism were expounded upon relentlessly, but in the end they were mostly proven charlatans. Later, hearing aids and FM systems were purported "cures," but again, not so much.
Now what I'm seeing are lots of kids who do really well not because of the CI but because parents are heavily involved in their life. This has ALWAYS been the problem. Parents who put effort into communicating and working with their children, often wind up with intelligent children. There are always "success stories" - but are these stories measuring an abstract hearing ability, OR a set of other variables such as parental involvement and support services? The success of a child has NEVER been about "just" hearing.
Here is a just released scientific study from the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery:
Children with profound hearing loss who receive cochlear implants before the age of 6 show significant gains in language acquisition, and compare favorably with other children who can hear, according to a new study.
The research, first presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Washington, DC, indicates that children that receive cochlear implants scored higher on language assessments test, compared to children fitted with non-implanted hearing aids.
According to the study, which profiled 36 children whose average age at implantation was 3 years old, children with profound hearing loss prior to their development of language benefited from cochlear implants. Over 50 percent of those studied had language scores similar to their hearing peer within two years of cochlear implantation.
Cochlear implant technology, which allows for direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, provides an improved auditory experience for children with profound hearing loss. Over 20,000 cochlear implants have been performed in children worldwide over the past two decades.
Title: Language Outcomes in Children after Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Cristina Baldassari, MD, Kelley Melissa Dodson, MD, Aristides Sismanis, MD
Date: Monday, September 17, 2007, 10:06 AM – 10:14 AM
dianrez said:
"I am always skeptical of those glowing parent commentaries claiming their kids are doing so well. They have an emotional investment and they are not going to ever admit when things are not going well."
As a parent of a child in 2nd grade with two cochlear implants, I have to say that I hear plenty of people discuss highs and lows in their children's ci journeys. I also hear parents discuss the highs and lows in their hearing children's journeys through life. I don't think anyone claims life with a cochlear implant (or without) to be all skittles and rainbows. That doesn't mean that what you're reading in Blogs is untrue though. It's not a reason to be skeptical of what a parent says. I've spoken with a lot of parents of kids with ci's, and I have yet to find one who made up a story about how well their kid was doing when they weren't. I don't see parents giving false information in order to recruit more implanted kids. As far as my own story: My son is in a regular classroom setting. He reads above the level of any other kid in his class; he picks up new language at the same rate as the other kids in his class; and the other kids, once they have satisfied their curiosity about what he has behind his ears, don't seem to notice his hearing impairment much at all. Sometimes when he asks "what?" I see them smile and get closer to talk to him. Nothing negative about that in my opinion.
I'm a 20 year adult who is an early pediatric cochlear implantee, 1989, and
I have absolutely NO regrets about not having learned sign language! Because
the number of people who use sign language is so small, I feel that there is
no need to learn it since I can hear and speak well. We pioneer
recipients of pediatric cochlear implants have already entered adulthood and
are leading fulfilling, rich lives in the hearing and speaking world.
(I'm as dependent upon my cell phone as my hearing friends!) The many of us who are out there have proven that cochlear implants are the most valuable tool to "cure" our deafness. So, 10 to 20 years down the road has already happened. Cochlear implants have been around for at least 25 years already and for children for 20 years. It's time to not only admit but also accept that we are here to stay!
Hi,
I am also the parent of a CI implant child. She got her implant at 12 months, after losing her hearing to meningitis.
I think it is important to understand the difference between the implant and a hearing aid. The HI amplifies sound, so the remaining hair cells in the cochlea get more stimulation. But there is usually still a large loss of hearing in the higher frequency range. With the cochlear implant, the entire pitch range is available, and sent directly to the auditory nerve. So kids get much better access to sound. This is why the implants are showing to be much better than hearing aids at giving people a better ability to hear.
The key to good language acquisition, is early implantation when the brain is still plastic enough to make sense of sound. The longer the delay, the harder time the brain has with interpreting sound.
My daughter only has one implant, yet has absolutely no "deaf" accent, is fully mainstreamed and has a reading level 4 grades above her actual grade. She is 9 years old. While she does have some difficulty in noisy situations, the rest of the time she interacts with the other kids and adults just fine, rarely needing a repeat.
I have no problem with her learning ASL (she now knows SEE), but I really wanted her to be able to understand and speak verbal English so that she would have more opportunities as an adult.
Kim
Naomi
I am astounded that people would actually believe that "just hearing" is what parents of CI kids think is a measure of success. Why would anyone use that as a measure of success, since our kids are deaf...the CI is simply an aid to help them hear but they are most assuredly still deaf.
My measure of success is this is very happy, outgoing, fiercely independent 15 year old who is rarely at home on weekends because he is over at his mates place's doing teen boy things like video games, warhammer etc. These mates are hearing friends from his mainstream school. He has opportunities to socialise with other hearing impaired teens however most times he shuns that...why??? because to him just because someone else has a hearing loss doesn't make him suddenly feel comfortable or connected to them, he would far rather spend his free time with his closest friends, who don't have a hearing loss. He is an independent guy and I let him choose where he wants to spend his time and of course the choice of who his friends are....rest assured his success has never been measured on "just hearing"
Hi!
I am an adult CI user since 1996 in clinical trial with Dr. Gantz in Iowa for 5 years study to approve the CI for kids plus to get my latest implant that was not out in the market. At that time I could not afford 40k and wanted the better updated N24 implant. I waited for from 1993 to 1996 to get my implant. I was 28 years old. I have been doing so well with the implant that it's quiet amazing how it works. I was born hearing injured on my fifth day since birth during blood transfusion (ran out of my blood type) by the hospital. I've worn earing aids since 9 months old.. I learned to speak at age 8. Intensive speech therapy 7 days a week 2 hours a day for straight for 3 years. I am surrounded with hearing friends & families. I can read sign but I never signed either due to a doctor recommendation to my mother "Carrie don't let your daughter sign so she can speak orally" well which was true. So we did that. People from everywhere I go asked me "Where are you from?" "No-way, come on really what country are you from??" so after expaining that I am deaf with HA/Cochlear implant growing up. They were floored. They were very interested.
I meant to write to support Rachel from CiCIrcle who I am a memeber as well to that group to follow up with their kids with CI.
I have gone though college recieved BFA and Graduate school with MFA I am an professional artist. Yes! I've had differcult time with their discrimantion of my needs to help me though lectures in art history and so on. But hey I fought though my education and my rights. Now for past ten years I have a beautiful husband (hearing) and just a perfect wonderful smart 5 year son (hearing). I must say that I am very impressed with CI! I am so spportive of them CI in babies and children. Why not give them what they can have to HEAR not in silent.. I did worry a little at first but after I joined them and following up with their daily concerns. I'm there to help the parents to understand that being deaf with CI is wonderful.
SO deaf community is shrinking and CI community is growing rapidly!! That is a VERY good thing and be supportive of that! They are happy so am I! I was never really in a any deaf community. Had 2 friends who one is deaf using cued speech and the other was like me.
Thanks for reading!
Pilar from Santa Cruz CA
Implanted oct 2005 in the other ear with freedom. THey had to remove my old implant from 1996 due to tightness of the magnet broke open my skin. Waiting for that ear to be replaced.
GO CI love it, hear it and enjoy all kinds of sounds!! And remember I can always take my CI off whenever I want to too. Deaf yep hey I love being deaf and hear. That is neat.
Hey!
My name is Samantha, I'm 18 and I was born profoundly deaf. I have an Advanced Bionics Cochlear Implant and I wear a hearing aid in the other ear.
I went through Auditory Verbal Therapy to learn to hear and speak without lip reading or sign language (at the Auditory Verbal Center, Inc.). I'm very glad my mom took the effort to teach me to hear and to go through Auditory Verbal therapy - I thank her everyday! Now, I'm a senior in High School and living an awesome independant life and able to go to any college and to do anything I want.
I CAN learn sign language if I wanted to, just like any other language like spanish now that I've learned to hear and speak first.
I have a friend who is deaf and signs, but she wishes everyday that she was taught to hear and speak. And now she's unable to learn and her life is very limited.
Now, honestly - who would want to live a life that is so limited??
It is obvious that Cochlear Implants are changing the lives of deaf people (which is totally awesome!!) so why limit ourselves to sign language or lip reading?! Deaf people have the option of learning to hear and speak like normal hearing people - so use it! People need to stop being so stubborn and proud about their deafness. Yes, we're deaf. But we should also live our life the best we can - which includes the hearing world and being independant communicators
Again, I have NO regrets of learning to hear and speak and I'm proud that my mom took the time to teach me to be an independant communicator.
To bad more moms aren't like that...
~Samantha
(www.samshearinglife.blogspot.com)
I'm Mom to three hearing kiddos and one deaf kiddo. Our deaf child has one CI which was implanted at 12 months and will receive her second CI at 18 months.
I'd love for you to follow along as we continue on our journey.
Visit us at http://thestotts6.blogspot.com/ and http://blog.deafread.com/onedeafchild/
Best to you!
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