Hearing Perspectives
Would a hearing person with no knowledge of deafness and Deaf Culture most likely get a cochlear implant or not get a cochlear implant for their child? Why would they most likely do that?
They would most likely get a cochlear implant because they would want their child to be like them and to communicate with them by talking. They might not want to learn ASL as well.
Explain Peter Artinian's reasons why he didn't want Heather to get an implant when she was young.
He was afraid that she would not continue to sign with her Deaf family, and that she would be part of hearing culture and not Deaf Culture.
What parts of the ear has the cochlear implant (outer, middle, inner ear)?
The outer ear and the inner ear or cochlea
After getting a Cochlear Implant, how does a person hear?
*like a person with a moderate hearing loss
*like a person with a mild hearing loss
*with normal hearing like you have
*like a hard of hearing person
like a person with a mild hearing loss or like a hard of hearing person
At what age range are most young children given a cochlear implant?
from 12 months to 24 months old
From a hearing perspective (Heather's hearing grandmother, Shelby's parents, Mari & Chris), what advantages would an implanted deaf child have in comparison with a non-implanted deaf child?
More opportunities with education and jobs, being able to communicate with both the hearing and Deaf communities, and being able to hear things
How do the Big D Deaf people feel about the hearing people who implant their babies and never expose their child to Deaf culture and ASL? (Think about the Deaf people at the picnic or Heather’s parents.)
The Big D Deaf people feel like the hearing people are selfish when they don't research deafness, Deaf Culture, and ASL before implanting their child. They feel like the hearing people think that Deaf people are inferior. They feel like the hearing people are depriving their deaf baby of language when they don't sign to them.
What is another name for the inner ear?
Cochlea
Which of these people qualify to get a cochlear implant?
*a person with a severe or profound hearing loss
*a person who was born hearing but has totally lost all of their hearing
*a person with a moderate to severe hearing loss who uses a hearing aid but it doesn't help them hear any better
What are the 2 types of therapy that a child will need to have if they get a cochlear implant?
speech therapy to learn how to talk
auditory therapy to learn how to discriminate and understand sounds (hear)
Should hearing parents with a deaf child only talk to their baby or sign to their baby before the child gets a cochlear implant? Why should they do that?
The hearing parents should learn ASL and sign with their baby because research has shown that exposing a deaf child to a visual language benefits the child's later language acquisition.
Give at least 3 reasons why many Big D Deaf people are greatly against cochlear implants? (Talk about Deaf community, communicating, family life, friends, identity, etc.)
away from the Deaf Community)
Children with cochlear implants will probably not continue to use ASL.
Children with cochlear implants will not have a Deaf identity. They will have a Cochlear Implant identity.
They may not be fully accepted in either the hearing or Deaf Community.
They may shun their Deaf family or make fun of them.
What are the parts of the cochlear implant that are on the outside of the ear?
Microphone, processor, transmitter
About how much does a cochlear implant operation cost without insurance?
Between $30,000 to $100,000
What is language deprivation, and what do parents of children who are implanted need to do to prevent that from happening to their child?
Use ASL with their deaf baby
Commit to taking their child to intensive speech and auditory training once they get a cochlear implant
What should hearing parents do to ensure their deaf child understands their deaf identity?
Let their child meet Deaf role models with and without cochlear implants. Explain to them that they are deaf and that they have a cochlear implant as a hearing device to help them better access the hearing world.
How has the perception about Cochlear Implants within the Deaf community changed since the 1994 movie "Sound and Fury"?
More Deaf people see cochlear implants as an option for Deaf children as long as they are also taught ASL and about their Deaf identity. The operation has been happening since the mid-1980s, so it is not viewed as risky as it once was.
Explain how the cochlear implant works. Start with what the microphone does, then what the processor does, then how it is transmitted, and what it does in the cochlea. End with how the electrical sound message goes to the brain.
Sound comes into the Microphone of the Sound Processor (behind the ear)
The Sound Processor changes the sound into digital information
The Transmitter sends that digital information to the Receiver which is under the skin
The Receiver sends the information to the cochlea (inner ear) along the electrode array
The electrodes stimulate the Auditory Nerve which sends the message to the brain.
About what percentage of the full cost of the cochlear implant operation do insurance companies cover? What are other costs to consider besides the actual operation?
*80% which leaves 20% for the person to pay
*Other costs include: continuing speech and auditory therapy, updating or mapping the processor, fixing anything that is broken
Why do experts suggest that children be implanted when they are young (before age 5 or even age 10)?
The best language learning age for a child is between birth to age 5, and the best time to learn language is between birth and age 10.
If you had a deaf child, what would be the best options for communication and education for your child and why would you do that?
Use ASL with the child until they get a cochlear implant. Then take them to speech and auditory therapy so they can learn how to hear and speak. Teach them how to code-switch between the 2 languages (talk with hearing and sign with deaf). I may take them to a School for the Deaf when they are preschool if there are cochlear implant support services there and then switch to a public school when they are school age. I would make sure that they have a Teacher of the Deaf to monitor their education.
When do most Big D Deaf people feel is the right time to implant deaf children and why do they feel that way? What would be the educational choices and services needed for a deaf child who is not implanted or implanted at a later age?
Most Big D Deaf people feel that a deaf child should be old enough to make their own decision. They would most likely opt to have their child go to a School for the Deaf or go to a public school with the services of an Interpreter and a Teacher of the Deaf. They would encourage the peers of their child to have access to learning ASL.
What is a cochlear implant?
A cochlear implant is an electrical hearing device that is implanted in the cochlea that enables a deaf person to hear.
List at least 5 possible side effects or risks involved with cochlear implant operations.
Facial paralysis
Balance problems and Dizziness
Headaches
Taste problems
New or worsened ear noises (tinnitus)
Inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Meningitis can occur after cochlear implant surgery.
Spinal fluid leak
Infection (at the surgery site or around the device)
Bleeding
Loss of residual hearing
Failure of device (less than 5%)
Explain how Heather Artinian views herself in regards to the hearing world and the Deaf World.
Heather is part of both the hearing and Deaf worlds. She feels like she is a bridge between the 2 worlds. She states that she belongs to the "Heather World," which is a combination of both worlds.