I wanted to share this website from Cochlear Americas. It is a website for parents of children with hearing loss. The parents can get more information about cochlear implants. Here is the website:
IWantToHear.com
I am a strong supporter of parents having the right to choose what communication method they want their child to use. We chose to sign and speech with our son and to have him get a cochlear implant at the age of 17 months. He received his second implant at the age of 4 1/2. I believe that signs were a bridge to him learning language and learning to speak.
I believe that LANGUAGE is the key for all children but especially for deaf children. Whatever a parent chooses for their child, they also have to follow that child's lead. Parents have to realize that it will be WORK, but it can be fun. It will be HARD, but it will be REWARDING. Elijah chose to be oral after we worked a LONG time for him to learn to speak. He dropped expressively signing, I didn't make him stop. He can still understand what I sign to him when his processors are off. We can't have an in depth conversation, but we can communicate!
Whatever choice a parent makes...sign or speech or both, it should be remembered that this is about the CHILD and not about what is RIGHT. There is no right, there is what is needed.
I could ramble on for days, I know, but I will get off of my soap box. ALL parents need to read more with their children (hearing or deaf), spend time with them, have conversations and be their first teachers!
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