My baby Jaden

My baby Jaden

Parent Testimonial

“Why it was important to identify my baby as Deaf”

ECE

Trike-A-Thon A HUGE Success!

CSD parent Danielle Reader shares her experience

Written by Danielle Bluestein Photographs by Lisa Matovich

The 2009 early childhood education Trike-A-Thon happened on March 5. What a wonderful event!

All our ECE kids, several families, and many CSD staff showed up to cheer us on. The day was very special, but a lot happened before the actual event to get things up and running.

Planning for the Trike-A-Thon began at Open House, believe it or not! Outside the front door of ECE we had a display and donation basket. This was the community’s first chance to show their support.

We raised a lot of money that day, and we appreciate those donations.

Once Open House was finished, it was a few months before the more detailed planning set in. It required the help of people all across campus, and within ECE, to make sure the event went well. Thank you to Tom Beach and Barrett Smith for arranging for the front circle to be blocked to traffic so we could make our “track.”

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“Thank you,” to our families, for the ongoing support you showed through your enthusiasm, your time, your donations, and your wonderful spirit!

“Thank you,” to the ECE staff of teachers, teacher’s assistants, volunteers, interns, and work experience students. You all helped in MANY ways to make sure the day went smoothly and everyone had fun!

From the nametags to the morning setup, to passing out snacks and cleaning up bikes, this really was a team effort.

Finally, to the ECE students! You are a wonderful group of kids, and it is a pleasure putting on these special events for you! Keep up your energy, your enthusiasm, and your spirit!

We as teachers have a wonderful job because of you!

“Thank you,” everyone, and lets make the next Trike-A-Thon, in 2010, even better than ever!

Loving Deaf environment:

Trying to fix hearing:

October March 27, 24, 2009 2008 | California News

I’ve had the opportunity to join a very passionate and devoted group of people visiting Sacramento to meet with various state officials. On these trips, my role has been as a ‘parent representative’, sharing our family’s experience as a hearing family raising a Deaf child. On our most recent trip, I was able to share our experience with the Newborn Hearing Screening Program. I reflected on the experience I had in the hospital room the day my son was born; this juncture, when a Deaf baby is “referred” and when the results are given to the parents, is crucial in that baby’s and that family’s life.

The first nurse who tested my baby’s hearing could not believe that he was not passing his hearing test.

She tried the test again: same results. That night, another nurse gave it a few tries and said that my baby was failing his hearing test because he kept moving. The next day, another nurse tested my newborn son. She said that the machine was having problems and wasn’t able to give us an accurate reading. After trying the machine one more time, she left the room without providing me any further information.

It wasn’t until it was time for me to sign the hospital discharge papers that I was given a referral for my new baby. The paperwork said to follow up for further testing with an audiologist.

“What’s an audiologist?” I thought. I searched the Yellow Pages and found a local audiologist.

For months, we spent hours in the audiologist’s office for testing.

Why was it that I never heard the word “Deaf” used, never thought of my son as Deaf, never found information on “Deaf”, never found a Deaf person? I now realize it was because, as hearing parents dealing with hearing ‘professionals’, no one used the word “Deaf.” From the very first Newborn Hearing Screening Test, they were screening to see if my baby could hear.

Then, being ‘referred to an audiologist’ or ‘failing the hearing test’ meant that my son’s hearing was not there,

thus the feeling of something lost— and we all know that sad story.

It’s no wonder I didn’t find any information on the Deaf community; I was at home “Googling” the terms ‘hearing impaired’ and ‘hearing disabled’. I thought I was being correct in calling my baby those things.

I have since learned that Deaf people don’t call themselves those ridiculous things. I will never again call my son those things; my son is Deaf! He’s Deaf and he’s perfect!

That is a positive. So, my search for how best to support my son was obstructed from the beginning, because the terminology that is used by the ‘professionals’ that the hearing parents come in contact with, as well as the ‘medical viewpoint’ in which the information is channeled through, is incorrect and negative.

If from the very first test, those professionals would start using the word Deaf instead of: hard of hearing, hearing impaired, having a hearing loss, hearing disabled, etc., then maybe parents wouldn’t have such a hard time accepting their baby as Deaf.

So, why not replace ‘abnormal hearing’ with a positive term, or call it the Newborn Deaf Screening Program. Parents like myself need to see and hear the term “Deaf” from the very beginning, which is the Newborn Hearing Screening Test.

At that time, connect the family with a Deaf mentor, the Deaf community— and in Northern California, connect them to California School for the Deaf!

I feel very strongly that Deaf mentors would have been a ‘gift from God’ during the first few months of our son’s life. Why is it that the Early Start program has a paid speech therapist and a paid teacher of the Deaf who will come to our home for an hour a week, but will not pay to have a Deaf mentor come and visit in the family home? If only I could go back in time and trade all of those visits to the audiologist and instead have a Deaf adult, or family, come in to our home....what a different life my son and our family would have had.

It’s time for a change!

California News | March October 27, 24, 2009 2008

Educational Resources for Deaf Children & Community Provides support to parents and the community on raising and educating deaf and hard of hearing children through its parent-infant program professionals and parent-to-parent network.

Programs include:

 Parent-to-Parent Network:

a network of parents that provides support and shares experience in raising deaf and hard of hearing children.

Call Outreach, 877-654-DEAF, to request a call from a parent within your area.

 Sign With Your Child:

parents can learn American Sign Language in the comfort of their living room through videophone conference capability using high-speed internet access. Contact cboyd@csdf-cde.ca.gov if interested in receiving this free service.  Enhancing Family Communication: Free Family American Sign Language Class are offered on the campus of the California School for the Deaf. Special events are also available including the Latino Family Weekend, African American Family Weekend, and more.

Outreach Division

California Department of Education 39350 Gallaudet Drive Fremont, CA 94538 www.csdf.k12.ca.us/outreach/ 877-654-DEAF (3323) (English and Spanish)

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