A view from a daughter to her father about COCHLEAR IMPLANTS - "Sound & Fury"..

[critters]

Very good!! Have you, by chance, gotten to see the CI documentary I posted before, where the Deaf couple got CIs in their 60's? I haven't seen "Sound & Fury" in years.

[smokey the elder]

It seems that one way to look at it is that the person with the implant would be "bilingual" in a way. I have a friend who is deaf, and she has a husband who hears but is quite fluent (as far as I can tell, anyway) in ASL. We met at my high school reunion. I think "Deaf" culture isolating itself from "Hearing" culture is to the detriment of both.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

That is a great letter. Well done!

[Daisy and Delilah]

It's very well written, Rachel. You did a great job.

[CountryWolf07]

Very good!! Have you, by chance, gotten to see the CI documentary I posted before, where the Deaf couple got CIs in their 60's? I haven't seen "Sound & Fury" in years.

Actually no, I haven't yet. Do you still have that?

[critters]

Actually no, I haven't yet. Do you still have that?

It's on this bb somewhere, but that's as close as I can get. LOL!

[AlleyCat]

Very nice letter, CW. My thoughts/issues with the CIs (I am deaf, too) is that it's a decision not to be made lightly. I am sure you thought your decision through as you have one, and I hope it works well for you. I wear hearing aids myself.

But as far as children are concerned, I do take issue with parents trying to force CIs on children who are not old enough to decide if they want this (what is wrong with wearing hearing aids UNTIL the child decides they'd be interested in a CI ? I have a profound hearing loss yet with speech therapists and mainstreaming, I speak very well, I graduated with Honors and from college.) So, hearing aids worked just fine for me.

This is not meant to be a pro-con debate of hearing aids vs. CIs, what I am saying is I take issue with parents forcing CIs on children who can't make that decision for themselves yet when hearing aids would do until they CAN make that decision.

And I don't understand either, a 6 year old insisting on having a CI. What if she regretted that decision later as an adult or older child? (For those who don't know, a hearing aid assists/amplifies whatever remaining hearing you have, whereas a CI surgery eradicates all residual hearing -- I know medical technology is working to change that) so for a CI, there is no going back.

That's why I don't think children, by way of themselves wanting a CI, or by way of parents forcing them to have a CI, should have one until they are clearly old enough to make an educated and personal choice.

Just my 2 cents! I don't mean to offend you in any way, CW. I know everyone has their opinion and I'm very glad your CI works for you.

[CountryWolf07]

No worries, you have not offended me at all. I agree. It's just that the child in the movie, actually wanted the implant, but her parents were telling her NOT to get it, so it made her decide that she did not want one, because of her parents' influence. That, I didn't enjoy seeing.

Very nice letter, CW. My thoughts/issues with the CIs (I am deaf, too) is that it's a decision not to be made lightly. I am sure you thought your decision through as you have one, and I hope it works well for you. I wear hearing aids myself.

But as far as children are concerned, I do take issue with parents trying to force CIs on children who are not old enough to decide if they want this (what is wrong with wearing hearing aids UNTIL the child decides they'd be interested in a CI ? I have a profound hearing loss yet with speech therapists and mainstreaming, I speak very well, I graduated with Honors and from college.) So, hearing aids worked just fine for me.

This is not meant to be a pro-con debate of hearing aids vs. CIs, what I am saying is I take issue with parents forcing CIs on children who can't make that decision for themselves yet when hearing aids would do until they CAN make that decision.

And I don't understand either, a 6 year old insisting on having a CI. What if she regretted that decision later as an adult or older child? (For those who don't know, a hearing aid assists/amplifies whatever remaining hearing you have, whereas a CI surgery eradicates all residual hearing -- I know medical technology is working to change that) so for a CI, there is no going back.

That's why I don't think children, by way of themselves wanting a CI, or by way of parents forcing them to have a CI, should have one until they are clearly old enough to make an educated and personal choice.

Just my 2 cents! I don't mean to offend you in any way, CW. I know everyone has their opinion and I'm very glad your CI works for you.

[smokey the elder]

If the CI is in fact irreversible, then the fact that she didn't get one now opens up the possibility of changing her mind later. The technology will likely improve, like it has with all kinds of prostheses. As a hearing person, if I were going deaf and could get some kind of "bionic" ear I think I'd be inclined to do it. People who have never heard, who knows?

(I wonder how many deaf folks are on PT. More than I thought!)