Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 About audiologists...I remember those early days finding out that our son had a hearing loss. Our audi did a lot of things right, like suggesting the right kind of hearing aids and even loaning us a pair for _almost_a_year_ because she knew a more powerful aid was coming out on the market. But -- one of the things I felt she did wrong was to not tell us how serious our son's hearing loss was! He was always in the severe-profound category, but she played up on the fact that he heard *something* with the aids. I wish she would have just said, " Listen. Your son is deaf. Most deaf people have some residual hearing. The fact is, you son can't hear anything without his hearing aids. He is deaf. " I think my course of action would have been different if she had just used the word " deaf " . I suppose she didn't want to panic us, but I wish she had been more up-front, because her kind of cautious talk can lead to denial. I know we were not alone. She led another family to believe that their son was just " hard of hearing " (not deaf) when in fact he was an implant candidate and got an implant! I think to their credit, audiologists might err on the side of not wanting to panic parents, and I am sure it is a fine line between dishing out the truth and not panicking people. Perhaps some tend to say what they perceive the parents want to hear? Most of all, I agree that they should be unbiased. They are typically the first professionals that tell parents about a child's hearing loss. They should be ready to present a balanced perspective on outcomes and communication strategies. I also remember asking our audiologist that first day, " but how am I going to teach him to sign if I don't know myself? " And she said, " Oh, it will be fun! It would be like the whole family having to start speaking Polish. " If only it were that easy to get the " whole family " (grandmas, grandpas, siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts...) to learn a new language! It's a big decision, what communication mode to use with a deaf child, and a huge time commitment regardless of what one chooses. I guess it was nice of her to put a positive spin everything, and a positive attitude takes you a long way (and I think it helped dramatically reduce the grieving stage for us), but there is something to be said for being realistic! Lydia Mom of Colin, age 10 1/2, hearing and , age 7 1/2, hearing aids at 14 months, total communication to age 4, implant at age 4, oral thereafter, mainstreaming for the first time starting this week -- going well, but that stupid FM is still flakey! > Tawnya's post was the first time I > had ever heard the statement from the opposite perspective! > --- end of quote --- > > Our audiologist pushed US towards oral and even ventured her opinion of ASL > which was *SO* wrong! She's now not our audiologist! > > As I say, our boys have done very well orally but didn't appreciate being > discouraged from sign by her... > > Barbara > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 What you said makes perfect sense. Ian's hearing tests are averaging around 45dB. So we definately know where he stands and what he can and cannot hear. That was one of the first things we asked. We got the " Audiogram of Familiar Sounds " and she charted out his ABR/ASSR results on it. She also had him do another hearing test to help with the hearing aids and he did very well with it. She was very honest with us about not knowing if it was going to get worse. Tawnya Ian, 10 mo, mild/mod...still no teeth , 3 1/2, sick today. =( Re: Tawnya (audiologists) >About audiologists...I remember those early days finding out that >our son had a hearing loss. Our audi did a lot of things right, >like suggesting the right kind of hearing aids and even loaning us a >pair for _almost_a_year_ because she knew a more powerful aid was >coming out on the market. But -- one of the things I felt she did >wrong was to not tell us how serious our son's hearing loss was! He >was always in the severe-profound category, but she played up on the >fact that he heard *something* with the aids. I wish she would have >just said, " Listen. Your son is deaf. Most deaf people have some >residual hearing. The fact is, you son can't hear anything without >his hearing aids. He is deaf. " I think my course of action would >have been different if she had just used the word " deaf " . I suppose >she didn't want to panic us, but I wish she had been more up-front, >because her kind of cautious talk can lead to denial. I know we >were not alone. She led another family to believe that their son >was just " hard of hearing " (not deaf) when in fact he was an implant >candidate and got an implant! I think to their credit, audiologists >might err on the side of not wanting to panic parents, and I am sure >it is a fine line between dishing out the truth and not panicking >people. Perhaps some tend to say what they perceive the parents >want to hear? Most of all, I agree that they should be unbiased. >They are typically the first professionals that tell parents about a >child's hearing loss. They should be ready to present a balanced >perspective on outcomes and communication strategies. > >I also remember asking our audiologist that first day, " but how am I >going to teach him to sign if I don't know myself? " And she >said, " Oh, it will be fun! It would be like the whole family having >to start speaking Polish. " If only it were that easy to get >the " whole family " (grandmas, grandpas, siblings, cousins, uncles, >aunts...) to learn a new language! It's a big decision, what >communication mode to use with a deaf child, and a huge time >commitment regardless of what one chooses. I guess it was nice of >her to put a positive spin everything, and a positive attitude takes >you a long way (and I think it helped dramatically reduce the >grieving stage for us), but there is something to be said for being >realistic! > >Lydia >Mom of Colin, age 10 1/2, hearing >and , age 7 1/2, hearing aids at 14 months, total >communication to age 4, implant at age 4, oral thereafter, >mainstreaming for the first time starting this week -- going well, >but that stupid FM is still flakey! > > > > >> Tawnya's post was the first time I >> had ever heard the statement from the opposite perspective! >> --- end of quote --- >> >> Our audiologist pushed US towards oral and even ventured her >opinion of ASL >> which was *SO* wrong! She's now not our audiologist! >> >> As I say, our boys have done very well orally but didn't >appreciate being >> discouraged from sign by her... >> >> Barbara >> > > > > >All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to copyright restrictions. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 What you said makes perfect sense. Ian's hearing tests are averaging around 45dB. So we definately know where he stands and what he can and cannot hear. That was one of the first things we asked. We got the " Audiogram of Familiar Sounds " and she charted out his ABR/ASSR results on it. She also had him do another hearing test to help with the hearing aids and he did very well with it. She was very honest with us about not knowing if it was going to get worse. Tawnya Ian, 10 mo, mild/mod...still no teeth , 3 1/2, sick today. =( Re: Tawnya (audiologists) >About audiologists...I remember those early days finding out that >our son had a hearing loss. Our audi did a lot of things right, >like suggesting the right kind of hearing aids and even loaning us a >pair for _almost_a_year_ because she knew a more powerful aid was >coming out on the market. But -- one of the things I felt she did >wrong was to not tell us how serious our son's hearing loss was! He >was always in the severe-profound category, but she played up on the >fact that he heard *something* with the aids. I wish she would have >just said, " Listen. Your son is deaf. Most deaf people have some >residual hearing. The fact is, you son can't hear anything without >his hearing aids. He is deaf. " I think my course of action would >have been different if she had just used the word " deaf " . I suppose >she didn't want to panic us, but I wish she had been more up-front, >because her kind of cautious talk can lead to denial. I know we >were not alone. She led another family to believe that their son >was just " hard of hearing " (not deaf) when in fact he was an implant >candidate and got an implant! I think to their credit, audiologists >might err on the side of not wanting to panic parents, and I am sure >it is a fine line between dishing out the truth and not panicking >people. Perhaps some tend to say what they perceive the parents >want to hear? Most of all, I agree that they should be unbiased. >They are typically the first professionals that tell parents about a >child's hearing loss. They should be ready to present a balanced >perspective on outcomes and communication strategies. > >I also remember asking our audiologist that first day, " but how am I >going to teach him to sign if I don't know myself? " And she >said, " Oh, it will be fun! It would be like the whole family having >to start speaking Polish. " If only it were that easy to get >the " whole family " (grandmas, grandpas, siblings, cousins, uncles, >aunts...) to learn a new language! It's a big decision, what >communication mode to use with a deaf child, and a huge time >commitment regardless of what one chooses. I guess it was nice of >her to put a positive spin everything, and a positive attitude takes >you a long way (and I think it helped dramatically reduce the >grieving stage for us), but there is something to be said for being >realistic! > >Lydia >Mom of Colin, age 10 1/2, hearing >and , age 7 1/2, hearing aids at 14 months, total >communication to age 4, implant at age 4, oral thereafter, >mainstreaming for the first time starting this week -- going well, >but that stupid FM is still flakey! > > > > >> Tawnya's post was the first time I >> had ever heard the statement from the opposite perspective! >> --- end of quote --- >> >> Our audiologist pushed US towards oral and even ventured her >opinion of ASL >> which was *SO* wrong! She's now not our audiologist! >> >> As I say, our boys have done very well orally but didn't >appreciate being >> discouraged from sign by her... >> >> Barbara >> > > > > >All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post is the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to copyright restrictions. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2004 Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 I had NO idea! on 9/9/04 2:07 PM, Lydia Gregoret at lidagreg@... wrote: > Hi Stefanie, > The funny irony is, being raised speaking Ukrainian as my first > language, and learning Russian in college, Polish would have been a > piece of cake for me!!!! So ONLY IF it had been Polish!! My > parents would have loved it! (But my English husband might have > protested.... :-) > > Lydia :-) > > >> >>> I also remember asking our audiologist that first day, " but how > am I >>> going to teach him to sign if I don't know myself? " And she >>> said, " Oh, it will be fun! It would be like the whole family > having >>> to start speaking Polish. " If only it were that easy to get >>> the " whole family " (grandmas, grandpas, siblings, cousins, > uncles, >>> aunts...) to learn a new language! >> >> Ohmigod, Lydia, that is just too funny! And what if you had no > interest in >> learning Polish?? >> >> ly, I find raising children to be challenging enough; don't > try telling >> me it will be " fun " for all of us to try to learn a new language! >> >> Just had to chime in... >> >> Stefanie > > > > > All messages posted to this list are private and confidential. Each post is > the intellectual property of the author and therefore subject to copyright > restrictions. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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