Hard to keep up!
Katherine C. Morehouse (Casey)
the reasons there are so many "lurkers" out there. I didn't
plan to be a lurker and am not a lurker by nature, but have
found, as many others have noted that its hard to find time to
read all the messages, route out all the nonsense, pick the
subjects that you are interested in and then sit down and write
something back of substance and interest to all. I thought
that I would have plenty of time during the holiday break to
write in lots of stuff but this is the first time that I have
had time to logon and I just spent two hours reading messages!!
Omar, I thought that I would have plenty of time to write some
new stuff about cochlear implants after reading the FAQ you
sent me, but to be honest, I haven't read it all. I am still
trying to figure out how to download all these files that I
want to save for future reference to my hard
drive so I can go back and read and compose in leisure. But
let me say here briefly that one of the reasons I have such
strong opinions against cochlear implants in children,
especially prelingually deaf, signing children, is that as an
educational audiologist at a school for the deaf, I see and
hear from parents constantly about the misinformation that they
are given about cochlear implants,the misconceptions that they
derive from the information they get, the lack of information that
they are given about the deaf community, the tremendous
pressure that is put on parents to get cochlear implants for
their kids, the tremendous pressure they, in turn, put on their
perfectly fine, well adjusted Deaf kids to get implants, the
power struggles that are set up by this, between deaf kids and
their parents, the kids not wanting to disappoint the parent,
and the parent always expecting that "miricle". The anger the
kid feels that "My mom not accept me deaf". And dispite
what any one will say they tell parents about the pros and cons
of cochlear implants, I have yet to meet a parent who was
given(by the cochlear implant team)
a list of the "failures" to call for opinions. The Deaf
adolescents who actively decide to stop using an implant put in
when they were 10, --they are never asked to talk to parents,
the mother of the kid, whose implant failed due to
ossification of the cochlea around the electrodes,---- she has
never been asked to speak to perspective parents, the child
with the drooping cheek, due to a a damaged facial nerve during
the implant surgery, ----she was not on TV or in the newpaper.. I
really could go on and on.. but....It seems these parents are
given the list of "successes" ( a short list which is used over
and over again.,as there are not actually a huge number of kids
with these implants...so far) I have yet to meet a parent who was actively
introduced to deaf adults, by a cochlear implant team, so that
they could hear the other side, Actually, I have yet to meet a
member of a cochlear implant team who know more than
rudimentary sign language or who has any kind of active
relationship with the Deaf community.. That is not to say
thaty they are not out there! I just haven't met them...Anyway ,
I will stop here for now on this subject, as I have to read
your FAQ before I go on any more. Don't want to rehash old
news.
Now, just a short bio as I can't remember if I put one in here
or not as I am on several BBS. I am an educational
audiologist at a school for the deaf, I also have a M.Ed in
Deaf Educ. I have been a HI Teacher in the mainstream, both
itenerant and self contained.. I have worked with Deaf
adolescents in a mental health hospital, I have been a private
tutor(don't ever take a job like that Cathy!!!) of a deaf
child, I have been a educational consultant on hearing loss and
Deaf Ed in Micronesia (Saipan) and I have been a clown and and
mime and owner of a singing telegram business. Not necesarily
in that order.
I also am the adoptive mom of Carroll, an eight year old Deafie, who also
has spina bifida and is a wheelchair user. Now Dana, there is
a topic of conversation about discrimination.. against folks
with other disabilities within the Deaf community... not sure
if it is a can of worms I want to open here!!
Well anyway, I am here to chat and share experiences, and am
not a "lurker", just a very busy person, who can only find time
once in a while to drop in... and when I am able to log on
through my user system without encountering that dreaded "BUSY
" message. So bye for now and hope this has not been too long,
but I have to take what opportunties that I can get. I am
going to a workshop on Friday on how to use this system better
so in the future, I may be more organized, but don't hold your
breath...
Casey
Miriam Clifford
CI teams will ever refer anybody to their "failures" but certainly parents
could and should seek out dissatisfied parents and users to see what they
think. (For that matter, so should people about to become hearing aid
users seek out a variety of opinions about aid use.)
I have one hesitation about Casey's post. If one talks to people who had
implants 10 years ago, one is talking to someone with an obsolete implant.
That's a little like asking the person who's hearing aid has been in the
drawer for 10 years what he/she thinks of hearing aids. One does get
information that should be fed into the system, but with caution. There
have been changes over time in the devices. There are improvements all
the time. So you need to be aware that you might be comparing apples and
green peas. I guess the bottome line is that one needs to collect a lot
of information from a lot of people and to evaluate it and think about
it quite critically before making a decision.
Mimi
Cathy Brandt
>educational audiologist at a school for the deaf, I see and
From my limited eperience with cochlear implant teams - one from Shea Clinic
and the one here at the University of Kentucky - they say that children who
attend signing deaf schools are typically NOT the best candidates for an
implant due to the lack of auditory input that is provided.
>perfectly fine, well adjusted Deaf kids to get implants, the
show me any kid (or adult for that matter) who is perfectly fine and well
adjusted :) just couldn't resist
>a list of the "failures" to call for opinions. The Deaf
>adolescents who actively decide to stop using an implant put in
>when they were 10, --they are never asked to talk to parents,
This has happened in some children I know. I wonder how how much of it is due
to typical teenage type emotions, reactions etc.
Also, kids who were implanted at 10 have VERY different experiences and ability
of use than kids who were implanted from age 3 to 7. My oldest was 10 and
the difference between her and the kids who were implanted at a younger age
is extraordinary. However, I do have another student who was implanted at 10
and is doing extremely well in the six short months she has had it. However,
she has had some problems with the skin/incision healing properly. But, she
still WANTS to use the implant.
>member of a cochlear implant team who know more than
>rudimentary sign language or who has any kind of active
Here in Lexington part of the cochlear implant team are teachers and pathologis
ts who do know quite a bit of sign language and work with children who sign on
a daily basis. They are a part of the educational part of the team - not the
medical side of the team.
But, I agree they are not always given the OTHER side. I do think CI's are
often pushed in some instances when it may NOT be in the best interest of the
child.
>adolescents in a mental health hospital, I have been a private
>tutor(don't ever take a job like that Cathy!!!) of a deaf
You mean full time? I have done private tutoring (part time in the evenings
and summers and ENJOYED it immensely) I don't think I would enjoy working one
on one full time, though.
>not a "lurker", just a very busy person, who can only find time
>once in a while to drop in... and when I am able to log on
Hope you do find the time to drop in now and then to share experiences and
thoughts with us.
Cathy - teacher who is too excited to see more educators joining the list