tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098293668088212810.post2649744300671605676..comments2023-05-15T01:45:58.082-07:00Comments on We Never Landed In Holland: Warmest Regards, Mother of Deaf childhaddy2dogshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04034188486446894352noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098293668088212810.post-9386955606803974592009-11-11T19:55:37.551-08:002009-11-11T19:55:37.551-08:00WOW! My friend that is a powerful post.WOW! My friend that is a powerful post.haddy2dogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04034188486446894352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4098293668088212810.post-47752889147415161232009-11-11T13:19:25.810-08:002009-11-11T13:19:25.810-08:00I realize language acquisition is critical for the...I realize language acquisition is critical for the infant. It's ridiculous that deaf children do not have the support of a language ASAP after Deaf is diagnosed. It should be offered IN THE HOSPITAL. For what it's worth, ASL for the late-deafened is similarly ignored. <br /><br />OK-- yes-- I already have a language. A language I can no longer understand when people speak it. It's hard to learn a new language at 30, 40, and 50 when you're raising a hearing family, working and attending soccer games every weekend. <br /><br />Thinking that the Dept of Voc Rehab's focus was on rehabilitation, I quite wrongly assumed they would have some resources for those with acquired deafness to learn ASL. Nope. The only option is self-study and possibly taking classes geared towards young hearing college kids--- which I have done. <br /><br /> Thing is, ASL doesn't help me a bit unless the people close to me learn it too. Like my hearing husband who is also 'older', works a full time job and is busy on the weekends with family committments.<br /><br />So where do we get that support? WHERE? I have taken two years of ASL. I can sign a little. No one signs to me. That's the problem. I don't need to sign. I can speak. I NEED people to sign to me. My dream is to have a Deaf rehab counselor work one-on-one with me and my family, so that I could at least communicate with them without lipreading. You would think this is a no-brainer, wouldn't you? I live in a large city, and NOTHING is available like what I've just described.<br /><br />Lacking that support, is it any wonder that most late-deafened people opt for cochlear implants as soon as they qualify?Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13093639101711800065noreply@blogger.com