Myth #5 and what was heard around the dinner table
Apr 18, 2008 @ 03:53 PM
Myth
#5 Deafness is not a disability
This myth is bandied about by people who want to believe that everything is exactly the same (or better!) for deaf individuals. They declare that you can use ASL and life is all fine. This would eliminate the need for cochlear implants, and all people need to do is accept deafness as another form of personhood.
The problem is that we all live in a largely hearing world. If all humans were deaf, the above would be true. But they aren't. Without hearing, and without speech, one has a harder time becoming educated, finding meaningful employment and socializing in the world at large. I fully believe that it is a wonderful thing for ASL users to meet and hang out with those who use the same language. But for my boys, it has been important that they use the language of their family, friends, teachers, and peers.
Cochlear implants allow my children to function very normally in a hearing world. What always interests me is that when I run across the argument that deafness is not a disability, it is often on blogs where the same individual is fighting hard for rights under the Americans with Disabilities act. I agree that TVs should be captioned, insurance should cover cochlear implants, and that it is important for various public venues to be open to those who use a manual language. It is safer and the kind thing to do. But this means one has accepted that there is a disability present in deafness... perhaps a hidden one, but one that is crucial in communication. NO doubt-- without implants we would carry on and the boys could still do great things, as many people do overcome adversity in their lives. But we chose not to throw up an unnecessary obstacle and we know they will always be glad for that. This does not negate the value of the humans who have come before this age and who fought to overcome adversity, nor does it denigrate their personhood or abilities when we implant our kids and mitigate deafness.
Most hearing people realize the logic in this. Here's a link to an article which discusses the very thing I've believed for some time:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-russnow/political-correctness-on_b_97326.html
---
On a completely different note, Ollie's obviously hearing pretty darn well these days.
I have 4 boys, or 5 if you count their father.
Boys will be boys, and dinner can
get a bit silly at times. At the end of meals, I
often use dessert as a means of practicing
imitation of sounds or words that we're working
on with Ollie. He loves it. I have the boys be
the model. So last night, I was trying to obtain
the words "more candy, please." Dad decided that
it was very funny to hold his hand up to his
mouth (at the far end of the table) and say
"moron" for big brother to repeat rather than
the real phrase. This was not intended for Ollie
to hear, really, and it was just to be silly
with the boys.
But he heard it, from afar. Suddenly he was transfixed with the word which everyone was giggling about. "More- ON" he would say, giggling also. It seems that the more mom tried them to avoid the obnoxious word, the funnier it became.
Sometimes I'm all alone in civility, here! I'm not sure if overhearing "moron" was good or bad, but it did highlight the fact that he is in that "little pitchers have big ears" time of life!
This myth is bandied about by people who want to believe that everything is exactly the same (or better!) for deaf individuals. They declare that you can use ASL and life is all fine. This would eliminate the need for cochlear implants, and all people need to do is accept deafness as another form of personhood.
The problem is that we all live in a largely hearing world. If all humans were deaf, the above would be true. But they aren't. Without hearing, and without speech, one has a harder time becoming educated, finding meaningful employment and socializing in the world at large. I fully believe that it is a wonderful thing for ASL users to meet and hang out with those who use the same language. But for my boys, it has been important that they use the language of their family, friends, teachers, and peers.
Cochlear implants allow my children to function very normally in a hearing world. What always interests me is that when I run across the argument that deafness is not a disability, it is often on blogs where the same individual is fighting hard for rights under the Americans with Disabilities act. I agree that TVs should be captioned, insurance should cover cochlear implants, and that it is important for various public venues to be open to those who use a manual language. It is safer and the kind thing to do. But this means one has accepted that there is a disability present in deafness... perhaps a hidden one, but one that is crucial in communication. NO doubt-- without implants we would carry on and the boys could still do great things, as many people do overcome adversity in their lives. But we chose not to throw up an unnecessary obstacle and we know they will always be glad for that. This does not negate the value of the humans who have come before this age and who fought to overcome adversity, nor does it denigrate their personhood or abilities when we implant our kids and mitigate deafness.
Most hearing people realize the logic in this. Here's a link to an article which discusses the very thing I've believed for some time:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-russnow/political-correctness-on_b_97326.html
---
On a completely different note, Ollie's obviously hearing pretty darn well these days.
I have 4 boys, or 5 if you count their father.
Boys will be boys, and dinner can
get a bit silly at times. At the end of meals, I
often use dessert as a means of practicing
imitation of sounds or words that we're working
on with Ollie. He loves it. I have the boys be
the model. So last night, I was trying to obtain
the words "more candy, please." Dad decided that
it was very funny to hold his hand up to his
mouth (at the far end of the table) and say
"moron" for big brother to repeat rather than
the real phrase. This was not intended for Ollie
to hear, really, and it was just to be silly
with the boys.
But he heard it, from afar. Suddenly he was transfixed with the word which everyone was giggling about. "More- ON" he would say, giggling also. It seems that the more mom tried them to avoid the obnoxious word, the funnier it became.
Sometimes I'm all alone in civility, here! I'm not sure if overhearing "moron" was good or bad, but it did highlight the fact that he is in that "little pitchers have big ears" time of life!