This week's hot topic in the deaf blogosphere seems to be the recently aired House program that featured cochlear implants.
 Hot Topic Photo © Victor Jesus, stock.xchng |
The overall consensus seems to be that the show's writers really messed up. Short summary: a boy is secretly given a cochlear implant; when the boy wakes up, he does not want the implant and rips it out. I did not see the program and will have to catch it on Hulu.com later. Meanwhile, several deaf bloggers (and a few hearing people) weighed in with their opinions on House:
- Deaf Translation: Broken Without Warranty: House Divided - This deaf blogger is also an audiologist.
- Nabeel's Cochlear Implant Journey - What really gets to me is what he writes in #5. Young teenagers are definitely old enough to decide for themselves if they want cochlear implants. As soon as they were old enough to understand about cochlear implants, my own children were given the choice.
- Cochlear Implant Online - Elizabeth writes in detail about the program, with plenty of commentary.
- Fabulous Running Mommy - writes about how the show had misinformation about NF2, a condition that she herself has. Plus, she points out that the show referred to the deaf character as an "idiot." Was that really in the dialogue? The word "idiot?" Oy vey.
- CD's Ear Blog - Mildly critical of the program's inaccuracy.
Get the hearing viewers' perspective as well:
- House: I See Deaf People
- Things a Dry Cactus Might Say - Cannot tell if this blogger is hearing or deaf, but I am guessing hearing.
- Zack Handlen - Obviously a hearing person; no self-respecting deaf person would use the word "handicap" these days. Says he liked the mother's decision that her son would get another implant.
The recent FOX-TV’s “House” tv show on CI will be to our own advantage and the Audism Free America (AFA)’s!
Teenagers should not given any choice to get the cochlear implant surgery on their own. Who will pay for surgery??
No way for the American taxpayers to foot the non-health issue like the CI surgery. It should be classifed as a vanity or comestic matter!
Being deaf is not a matter of life and death. What a waste of American taxpayers and cost the health insurance clients more on their insurance premimum which have nothing to do with health necessity itself.
I would look forward to some “John Brown” militancy among the deaf community to declare war on the CI manfacturers and AGBell and the medical community whose exploited the most emotionally vulnerable and less-informed and educated parents of deaf babies and youngsters.
I met several NIH people last weekend in Miami area and had the meeting with them what to do about tne NCDL.
It’s time to slash the NCDL – National Center on Deafness’s budget and layoff the employees for the good of our country to save a lot of $$$.
RLM
I don’t read too much into a tv show, but I did think it was kind of an editorial oversight to allow a CI to be portayed as if it just needed to be installed and turned on.
as for the “idiot” thing with Dr. House, that is actually a very common word for House to use. He frequently calls people idiots or refers to people as idiots, etc. It’s just part of House’s personality.
I watched it last night and don’t recall him using “idiot” in any way, but I may have just missed it.
cdm,
I didn’t know that House routinely uses the word “idiot.” Even so, it concerns me because long ago, deaf people WERE routinely branded as idiots – remember “deaf and dumb?”
Dr. House sometimes uses idiot to refer to one of the doctors under him. As CDM said, it’s his personality, however oddball.
RLM, whatever it is with the AFA, “audism” could easily be a misunderstanding, ignorance, that kind of thing. It is our job to correct it without looking like a bunch of half-assed militants.
CIs are a choice. Teens are young adults, and they are mature enough to decide if they want one or not. By your definition, even hearing aids would be a vanity or cosmetic item.
What exactly is the NCDL? Google brings up the National Canine Defense League. Or are you thinking about the NCLD, the National Center on Law and Deafness?
Rob G.,
I am speaking of ther National Center on Deafness or whatever it spells. It is part of the NIH’s various department to study the cure for deafness, etc.
I hope that is very helpful to you.
RLM