Wednesday 2 September 2009

Deaf shame...

Found an interesting post in this blog....
Sure Lotte will experience this as well... not sure to what degree though.... Up to us parents to keep an eye on it.

Yesterday Lotte commented that the children in the first grae (age 6-7) were asking her (Lotte is now in second grade) what "it" is, the BTE's on the shoulders and the coils on her head.
Lotte has no answer for them.....
Lotte explained to us that she did not like being asked all the time. Actually, I have never experienced Lotte explaining her CI to anyone. I think that there is no real explanation to her. It's how it is. I'm sure the questions will come later, but for now, she hears with CI... end of (her) story.

So, we contacted the school, and asked if the teachers in the first grade could do something about it. In itself, this is difficult. Putting focus on it could be a bad thing. In a way, the children just ask what it is. A simple "I need it to hear" would be enough explanation.. We noticed that last year, with Lotte's class-mates. None of them is interested in a 5-minute explanation on CI.... A straightforward explanation is enough to cure the curiosity..

But of course it will be a matter of time before Lotte will start ask questions herself. Will we be ready for it...??? I guess not.... How do you prepare for that... .really..

We notice how she is thriving on sound, but also how there's sometimes a part she's missing. She has her own strategies to cope with it. Guessing answers, ignoring questions, making sure she's the one doing the talking.... Many different strategies....

The best one is of course how she answers a question that ends with ".... , isn't that right?"... Can you guess the answer to that question ....????

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btw.... followup on that site...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

My school had a puppet show for the kids about deafness. The kids I grew up with in elementary school gave me less problems in high school. But they were also the ones who talk to me the least :( Or felt very uncomfortable.

(Some) Milestones

  • 2013-08: Grade 6
  • 2012-08: Grade 5
  • 2011-08: Grade 4
  • 2011-03: BTE's on the ear
  • 2010-08: Grade 3
  • 2009-08: Grade 2
  • 2008-08: Mainstream School (6y. old)
  • 2006-10: All-hearing Kindergarten (4y. old)
  • 2004-11-22: CI activated (27 m. old)
  • 2004-10-04: Bi-lateral CI (26 m. old)
  • 2003-08: Deaf/HOH/CI Pre-school/"DEAF" Kindergarten (12m. old)
  • 2003-07: HA's fitted (11 m. old)
  • 2003-06: Diagnosed deaf. Start sign-language (10m. old)
  • 2002-11: Suspicion loss of hearing (4 m. old)
  • 2002-08: Born - A fierce LION
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