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From: Verna.Forristal@f71.n343.z1.fidonet.org (Verna Forristal)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: COCHLEAR IMPLANT
Message-ID: <19175@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 4 May 91 04:31:32 GMT
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Index Number: 15387

[This is from the Silent Talk Conference]

It is a well known fact (to people who have worked with HI) that speech is not
produced automatically, but is learned.  A major protion of that learning
comes form HEARING the sounds to be produced.  It is hard as hell to teach a
kid to speak when the child can't hear what you are saying.  I spent many
hours working to teach HI kids to make a single sound (R and L being the
hardest).  I feel that a cochlear implant is a God send for youngsters who
may be able to hear enough to learn to speak clearly as a result.  Are you
HI?  If so from what age?  If less than 3, do others understand your speech
without difficulty?  Producing sound and producing specific sounds are two
entirely different things.  Please reconsider your harsh judgement, and give
the kid, her parents, and all others concerned in the decision a little
credit.  They are obviously better informed on the subject than you were.
Hopefully, you are now better informed, too.

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