Comments on: All Deaf Children Should Get Cochlear Implants

By: Tsundre

Tsundre — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 22:16:34 +0000

A couple of years late, but I wanted to say this was a superbly written blog post.

I am also against all deaf children to be implanted forcefully.

By: Butterfly

Butterfly — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:00:32 +0000

I do not think the parents should be the ones who decide whether to have their babies be implanted with a CI. The children should decide for themselves when they are at the age of knowledgement to have or have not the CI implanted. I have met several persons who have CI implanted as a child and they complain about it and wished the parents did’nt have it done. That includes a young woman who insisted that her doctor remove it and it was removed. Why aren’t parents informed of the negativities along with the positives. Best is to let the deaf child decide not the parents.

By: Eyeball

Eyeball — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:23:40 +0000

As a Deaf parent of a Deaf child, I am in an unique position here. I happen to have fluent ASL skills before getting my own CI 4 years ago yet my child did not get one. So we are on our on individual journeys here even with all this controversy and Deafhood. This child is just happy the way she is and we co-exist at home in an ASL environment. She does remind me not to talk by voice to her hearing sister in her presence though ! ( I understood her point of being left out.)

So we are practicing unity at home peacefully. What is more challenging for me as a parent is seeing so much hopes and disapointments in the quality of Deaf education, advocacy and a lot more. I had no idea how difficult personally because I was forced to go through my hard childhood being raised orally/learning ASL at age 17 finally and then figure out what is best for my own Deaf child without bias or judgement. There is no such thing as that. It hits you at the core as a person more than anything. Having said that, I was already on the process of being the best possible Deaf person anyway before seeing the Deafhood workshop. I happen to have most of friends in the Deaf community anyway and at work, it is a hearing world. Not one Deaf person criticized my decison to get the CI and I always have welcomed their curiousity and very hard questions about it even it is negative. So I go back and forth on a daily basis with ease and fluency in both languages. It didnt happen overnight and it is indeed an interesting process.

By: ASLisRisen

ASLisRisen — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:49:28 +0000

I had to back this issue! MZ!!! That’s good blog! {seesmic_video:{“url_thumbnail”:{“value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/7QmiJZna4h_th1.jpg”}”title”:{“value”:”I had to back this issue! MZ!!! That’s good blog! ”}”videoUri”:{“value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/mEaevlB63s”}}}

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:43:13 +0000

also, I’d like to point out that just because you’re deaf, and your child is deaf too, doesn’t mean raising your deaf child will be a bed of roses. a lot of deaf parents of deaf kids are shocked at how challenging it can be. parenting is a rewarding job but still a tough one, hearing or deaf. I agree with AL that one can have a CI and still have a healthy, positive attitude about being deaf and a member of the deaf community.

By: AL

AL — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 02:17:18 +0000

Great blog, I just have a comment for the specific part where you mentioned deaf parents accepting their deaf babies as is- “Deaf parents have no problem being Deaf and are also content with their children being Deaf. ” Im assuming that you mean that deaf parents do not choose CIs for their deaf children. There are more and more deaf parents choosing to give their deaf children CIs and many others who want to do this but don’t out of fear of retaliation from the deaf community. This is not about deaf versus hearing, not anymore. Its about those who accept CIs versus those who do not. I am a culturally deaf parent who chose to give my child a CI and we are still proud of our deaf identity and all that.

It is when people judge others based on the choices that they make for their children, like you and other commenters have said- that is the real problem here. Deaf children without CIs are going to be fine, just like deaf children with CIs. Parents who choose to give their children CIs can be as accepting of their children’s deaf identity just like parents who don’t.

By: White Ghost

White Ghost — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:59:32 +0000

Mishka –

I don’t think some of the people understand the journalists’/bloggers’ works to write any titles to attract the viewers. So that way, the viewers can read the websites, newspapers or blogospheres. It’s about the audience.

For instance, the other day, a journalist wrote an article, “Reskins Ruling: But hearing people still don’t get the lyrics, either” in the Washington Post last week. (NAD announced about the captioning case against the Redskins in the blog last week.)

It is not the trick. It’s the way the journalism’s/blog-ism’s works. That’s how it works.

It’s sad to know that some of them has refused to “try” to read yours.

We’ve had some disagreements….but I know you and still fist-smack you. I love to read!

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:50:27 +0000

Gee … Many are unhappy about your blog here. I know you — You are not like this. Umm .. Time has changed. I guess some are frightened that ASL will be faded away.

By: Mishka Zena

Mishka Zena — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:24:24 +0000

An update:

There was an unfortunate misunderstanding by some Deaf people. No, this is NOT my statement as I am against the compulsory implantation of all Deaf babies/children against their parents’ wishes.

No, this is not a post to trick Deaf people so I can bash them later. Perish that thought! I am sad that someone would think I’ll use this tactic

By: White Ghost

White Ghost — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:48:22 +0000

I waited and let any commenters to response in this blog. It is a good discussion.

Don’t forget the stem cells. Don’t forget the scientists and researchers to dig the non-carriers and carriers’ genetics and diseases. It’s the modern medical technology.

What can we say about the modern medical technology that have tried to heal anything?