A strong foundation in a first language is a critical component for a child to develop not only reading skills, but healthy social and emotional skills. An early and rich language environment is key. … More Lost in Translation: Unqualified ASL Interpreters Go Unregulated in Mainstream Classrooms Everyday
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to see a panel of Deaf adults share stories from their life experiences. This was no ordinary panel. These were Deaf adults who had defied all of the stereotypes about hearing loss and beaten the educational odds. In addition to being Deaf with language barriers, they told stories of … More The Most Important Thing I Learned About My Deaf Child From Deaf Adults
8 Things I wish I knew earlier about being a hearing parent of a deaf child. … More For Beginners
This morning, I woke up and realized Micah was born hearing. While this is a conclusion my husband came to months ago, the truth of it settled with me only today as I was packing school lunches and making coffee. All this time, prior to this morning, I had told myself and everyone I knew, … More When Nothing Adds Up
I heard from a good source that while Micah was away at camp last summer, he relished in dirt. I heard he even went to bed one night with dirt caked on his teeth. Maybe that’s what summer is all about. Small rebellions, wonder, and freedom. In the summers of ’86 and ’87, I packed … More The Glory Days of Summer
Recently, I attended a drum circle with my local Deaf community, and the experience solidified my belief that being part of the Deaf community is a lot like being part of an indigenous tribe. When we first learned that Micah was profoundly Deaf, we accepted the traditional medical perspective on deafness; the script that says … More Beating Drums of Resistance
When Micah was about six, he toted around a stuffed monkey named Monroe. Across Monroe’s face, he had duct taped the monkey’s mouth, sealing his lips. At the time, Micah’s lips too seemed sealed shut. He benefited little from his bilateral cochlear implants, and I found the duct tape gesture darkly poetic. In parts of … More What No One’s Saying About Deaf Kids
90% of of deaf children have hearing parents, and only 10% of hearing parents learn to sign. Read one mom’s story about the barriers of communication between hearing parents and their deaf children.
… More A Loss for Words
When we implanted our profoundly deaf two-year-old son Micah with cochlear implants, we gave little thought to American Sign Language or Deaf Culture. We were a hearing family, following the council of our audiologists, and under enormous pressure, we made the best decision we could with the information we had at the time. Micah received … More 13 Reasons to Sign to Your Hard of Hearing or Cochlear Implanted Child
On Deafness 