- We are not just born deaf
- According to WHO, there are 360 million people worldwide that have some sort of hearing loss. It can range from genetics, to illness, to aging.
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing don’t just use ASL
- The population is so diverse that not everyone knows sign language. You can grow up in a hearing family and use speech as your primary communication. You can use sign language if that’s what you can do. Some people use both oral and sign. It helps to learn but in reality most hearing people don’t know how to.
- Intensive speech lessons with a Speech Pathologist will help you go far. (I did it for 9 years)
- It is a disability
- We are just human beings without one of the senses.
- Hearing loss can be bilateral or unilateral.
- The old term is ‘hearing impaired’. Be careful with that because to some deaf or hard of hearing people, it’s like saying ‘retarded’ when someone has down syndrome or cerebral palsy.
- Hard-of-hearing or deaf is a better term. Hard-of-hearing is more for someone who has mild to moderate hearing loss while deaf is someone who has severe to profound hearing loss. To some deaf cultures, if you have hearing aids and use oral speech, you may be considered hard-of-hearing.
- We can do jobs in all walks of life
- The Board of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses is currently working on a statistical registry to find out how many deaf or hard of hearing healthcare professionals are out there. I suggest if you are like me, a Deaf Registered Dental Hygienist, go put your name in! Statisical Registry
- There is a safe-n-clear FDA approved mask out there for all you deaf or hard of hearing aspiring medical professionals.
- Same with stethoscopes!
- We can have children who won’t be deaf
- That’s what doctors are for. Talk with your doctor, not everyone passes it down.
- In today’s world, you can find out the baby’s disability before and after birth.
- Not everyone wears hearing aids or cochlear implants
- There are deaf and hard of hearing people out there that just don’t wear either of them
- Not everyone qualifies for cochlear implants. You are referred to an implant clinic for evaluations and undergo a series of tests that includes ear, hearing, physical and x-ray (MRI or CT) evaluation which can take weeks and months, depending on doctors and locations.
- While the surgery is outpatient, there are several weeks before you can fully hear again. It’s irreversible. Mostly for people who have severe to profound hearing loss.
- It is not cheap. It can cost up to $100,000+ but luckily most insurances will cover it.
- There are all kinds of hearing aid options on the market. I’ve seen so much improvement, especially the kinds you can surf in or have blue tooth technology.
- Be kind sharing videos that circulates around the internet showing children hearing for the first time (with hearing aids or cochlear implants). While it’s a wonderful thing to hear, not everyone has that opportunity or support.
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Published by That Deaf Girl
I’m Amanda. A witty, sarcastic deaf girl. A character on MTV’s True Life: I’m Deaf Episode and former NFL Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleader.
I aspire to speak on Special Needs platform, particularly for Dentistry.
That Deaf Girl is a blog shedding light on deaf awareness or general in everyday life.
Enjoy!
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That Deaf RDH Foundation 
Hi, I came across your blog and really enjoy your take and sense a humor. I used to be an infant hearing screener and it’s amazing how many people still do not know how common hearing loss is and the spectrum it falls on. I would also like to take this moment to nominate you for a Liebster Award, it’s used to help smaller blogs get more recognition. You can find more details here: mutedmouthful.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/i-dont-deserve-this-the-lovely-liebster/.
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Aw thanks! Im in middle of traveling and will definitely do this soon. Thanks again!
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As a Deaf person, I was exciting to go to your dental for my first appointment in few week. I made a decision to read your story. I thought you are 100% deaf and ASL. Again I read your story. I got upset. I don’t see you sign in these video. I’m disappointed how you write the fact about deaf which is not true… next time use HOH instead of deaf ..
first at all, I was born nature is deaf.
Deaf people can have deaf babies.
Deaf people choice to be oral or not.
Read deafhood
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Avril! How are you? I’m looking forward to meeting you at my office. Here’s my backstory, I was born with bilateral profound hearing loss. I wear hearing aids and do know most sign language. I’m not fluent but oral speech is my own choice.
I think you’re misreading my blog post. I never wrote that deaf people can’t have deaf babies. I’m deaf and my daughter is not deaf. Which means not everyone can pass it down.
Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you! 😊
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