Deaf Teenager Against Cochlear Implant

Discussion of an Implanted Teen's Experience

"...understand your anguish at your parents' apparent insensitivity to your needs...when you become an independent adult, there is no way that they can force you to wear HA. The decision will then be entirely in your hands...It must also hurt you that they do not bother to learn SL even to communicate with you...It seems to indicate that they are secretly ashamed of you...I think that one thing that you need not have a doubt about is whether your parents love you or not...one thing in favour of HA. The world is full of delightful sounds...Do you want to miss all these wonderful sounds that so many people take for granted, my friend? I am sure that you are perfectly capable of "succeeding" in life with SL. But what is this success? God has given us five senses...senses of sight and hearing are probably the most significant to us...I also believe that each and every language, including SL, is an additional window into this diverse world..."
—TANTRIK1
"The number of people getting CI continues to grow and now there are those in the Deaf community who are also getting CI."
—RICKAOB
"(To Tantrik1)Where do you come off telling a child that because her parents do not know SL it indicates that they are secretly ashamed of her...her parents may be extremely open about her deafness and have encouraged her to be proud...horrible thing to say...do not know this child or her parents and neither do you nor do I or you have any idea of the decision they made...to accuse them of such things is extremely imflammatory and derogatory..."
—RICKAOB
"...pressures put on hearing parents...new parent...had NO IDEA what to do..."professionals" said not to sign...use his voice and residual hearing, etc...a lot of parents listen to these "professionals"...parents BELIEVED they were doing what was best...To say that they are "ashamed" is not right!...about..Being able to survive on one's own without the aid of an interpreter."
— SIGNINGMOMMY
"...you don't think parent's have any rights to decide...minors cannot make these decisions...waiting...leaves them no choice...crucial for children to "hear" language at very young ages so ...brains will wire correctly...hearing for the first time at 18...will get environmental noises, and perhaps will enjoy music...HOH...when HA no longer benefit me...you can bet...I will get implanted..."
—AWESOMEMIMI
"I am 21 and I am HOH...none of my family use signing...I use sign with deaf people...I think it is up to the child to have CI because YOU as Parent is not going thru the emotional and know how does it feel to have CI...like fix a child up to be perfect...believe the hearing world need to be more education about the deaf world..."
—About Visitor
"14...profound hearing loss...thinking of getting a CI because i would actually prefer to hear the world...dont understand why you all hate it and pretend you have it turned on...do want the CI and my parents arent even forcing me, they just want what is best for me..."
—About Visitor
...lack of a good CI team will not give a positive CI result. We are planning to implant our son...this young man would have done much better had he been listened to...seems his doctor did not take him into consideration...choosing the CI to give my son a choice...plan to learn and teach him SL...can one day take it off and decide he wants his silence back...wasn't easy for your parents...
—About Visitor
...profoundly deaf...CI since 6...13...hurts my ear a lot...your family really want you to be like normal person who can talk and listen ...doesn't matter if you hate it or u like it? What matters...you can hear with CI so, in the future, you can get a job such as doctor,etc...using ASL, no regular people would understand you...other kids who LOVES their CI because they can talk and listening...
—About Visitor

Future comments on this topic will be posted to the forum thread titled "Deaf Teenager Against Cochlear Implant."