Not the hearing or Deaf world | Heather Artinian | TEDxGeorgetown

Heather Artinian is a student at Georgetown majoring in Government and minoring in Justice & Peace studies. Heather was the subject of an academy-award nominated documentary titled 'Sound and Fury'. The documentary focuses on her family and their struggle to make a decision whether to give her, 5 years old at the time, a cochlear implant that would enable her to hear. Heather will share her journey through life; learning how to speak and hear, attending hearing schools, and being part of the deaf culture and the hearing world.
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About: In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@CassieJazz96]

Just watched "Sound and Fury" and it was a brilliant documentary. Heather struck me as a very bright child and I'm so proud of what she has accomplished today. This is an excellent talk!

[@clairee4939]

Wait she’s the little girl from Sound and Fury? 😮 wow

[@MJ-gj6mj]

"Heather Artinian is an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins, where she was a summer associate prior to joining Latham full-time." You go Heather! Inspiring so many :)

[@SuperKeirsten123]

We watched Sound and Fury in my ASL class

[@Mullay2]

I am currently substitute teaching for an ASL class and we are currently watching the Sound and Fury.

[@writersblock26]

Keirsten Andress Me, too, Keirsten! 👍

[@TheSekou1000]

Me to

[@Rachel.Rubioo]

Keirsten Andress samee

[@jooo_1]

same

[@monahabibi6478]

i watched sound and fury in my child development class and i realized that people should be in both worlds

[@CassieJazz96]

+mitsuki taktuo My thoughts exactly.

[@Calphool222]

When my wife and I watched Sound and Fury years ago, we were inspired to raise money to install Mopix systems in our local theaters (closed captioning devices for deaf patrons). It's so amazing to see Heather all grown up and DOING AT TED TALK!! Heather, you are an inspiration!! It was so heart wrenching to see all the turmoil in your family two decades ago, when everybody just wanted what they thought was best. It was an excellent documentary (and the follow up documentary was amazing as well). So great to stumble upon this TED talk!

[@MissMittens219]

Heather, I am very impressed!! I was in my ASL interpreter training program when I watched Sound and Fury, and I have wondered for a long time how you've been and how everything turned out for you. I'm so thrilled to see the very successful young woman you've become! You will continue to accomplish great things! Way to go, girlie! :)

[@verseapocalyptica668]

Fantastic video! My husband is Deaf and I am Hearing, and the bridging of worlds is one of the best parts of our relationship. His family is a mix of Hearing and Deaf, and when we have kids, we'll raise them in both worlds. We wish you the best in pursuing your dreams. :)

[@ginamayfield1595]

I would like to say I'm very happy that Heather's parents eecided to get her the cochlear implant. Heather has came along way and proud of her. She's the best role model for both the deaf and hearing.

[@mikaelablatus6293]

we watched sound and fury in my class this week, and im so glad a classmate mentioned that heather also had a ted talk. even from the documentary she seemed like such a bright little kid and i’m so happy she was able to get more amazing opportunities!!

[@sammyingram2596]

I've been showing Sound and Fury in my social justice classes ever since my wife and I taught several courses on disability theory and disability rights back in 2001. It's wonderful to see this marvelous young women telling her story, a story from which we can all learn a lesson. David Ingram

[@carlyt.7376]

Spent the night following Heather's story through the documentaries and this TedX. Determination and passion - you go girl! We will be lucky to have you in the legal field!

[@cmllzz]

omg.. I just finished watching Sound & Fury today and it was a really really great documentary... I'm so proud of Heather that really brought me tears watching her speak in front of many hearing people

[@stacyshilling4317]

Heather, you are absolutely amazing!! What an inspiration you are to both the Deaf and Hearing worlds. You are such a beautiful soul!! Good luck in all your pursuits. I love "Heather's World!"

[@allidock11]

I absolutely love this. I watched Sound and Fury years ago, it's how I was introduced to the concept of deaf culture, and I found it very moving. I've wondered about Heather for many years.

[@writersblock26]

Thank you for posting this, TEDx Talks! 😀

[@shobanar2782]

Hello, I am thinking of doing a TEDx talk sometime later in my life since I was born profoundly deaf with type one diabetes. I consider myself as a totally normal person who loves to dance, took part in a drama school, making new friends, etc. I am also enrolled in a major in child studies in Carleton University. This is a good opportunity for me to talk about my life and this video really helps me to gain confidence and to open up to the world. Thank you Heather and I totally support the Heather World!! :)

[@cnewsom0721]

What a wonderful role model you are for my bilateral daughter! Thank you for this speech!

[@ryublueblanka]

Sound and Fury was on my list of dream documentaries to see for literally 20 years and I just saw it finally on KZbin of all places. I have a ton to say and unpack about the film but a KZbin comment section probably isn't the best place. There needs to be a legit follow up documentary. It would be absolutely fascinating and important on so many levels. This is the next best thing though and it only took me a second to realize who this is! Heather! 💜 I thinking about learning sign language...

[@alisonsattler6396]

Thank you SO much for this super-important and valuable message! I watched "Sound and Fury" years ago, and can still vividly recall scenes from the film that especially disturbed me due to your (Heather's) parents, grandparents' and aunt's and uncle's inability to how that each understood WHY the other felt as they did and, more importantly, respected their right to believe and feel as they did. As so often happens, people in priviledged positions of society assume that they are there for good reason...that they are somehow "enlightened" and that marginalized persons (those that have historically been held in less esteem/had less powerful roles in society) are simply uninformed or unable to make the "right choice". This is how I saw your uncle, aunt and grandparents treating your parents in the film. It bothered me then, and that attitude still bothers me. I'm glad you've taken away the message I hoped would be learned from your family's dilemma: that ONE way, ONE idea, ONE community, ONE belief, ONE people, ONE culture is not a healthy nor sustainable way to live in this world...nor has it ever been. I hope you follow your dream to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court one day (seriously!). Our country needs someone like you leading our country-- now more than ever!

[@JessicaNiles]

I fell in love with Heather decades ago when Sound & Fury came out and can't believe I never knew about this Ted Talk! I am so thrilled to see what she has done with her life. Her speech is amazing!! I want more!

[@millionaire365]

Graduated from HLS as a deaf person. You definitely showed those who doubted you Heather. I cannot say in words how much of my admiration you have. Thank you for such a great talk and setting an example for others.

[@schantesvo]

Heather--phenomenal reveal of your truth. You're awesome and inspiring. Thank u!

[@kierstenfallon3172]

Loved this talk!! Building bridges enables understanding and capacity. Just be you says it all!

[@KatDreamerForSure]

Heather! I'm so proud of you. This is awesome. I knew you were going to do great things. I was so lucky to be your friend during high school =)

[@ShaynaPulley]

I've been looking for this video since October, thanks for posting it!

[@ladyirvin]

Thank you, Heather Artinian.

[@vietcongpornsurfers]

Heather, I was so inspired by your journey! I hope to meet you someday!

[@leahwhitaker7830]

So inspiring! Thanks for sharing!!

[@hearinu2747]

Heather, what a great message to spread. I followed your journey for a while. Thanks for letting me get a peak into Heather's World. It's an amazing place

[@babylovedj]

i really have to say excellent and well done i watched sound and fury and it really touched me you had it difficult i may not have been in your situation but putting myself in it i can understand. a lot of persons are closed , minded and stuck in our hearing culture that we have limited respect to those of the deaf community or another country out side of out what we know. love languages i did sign language and it is beautiful. however, continue the good work keep it up and continue to stick around the positive driving forces in your life which would encourage you to move forward and build you your speech is excellent

[@brynnaandersen7739]

Whatever your beliefs about cochlear implants, I would not be here in college getting my degree in speech pathology without the friends I've made who were deaf, who grew up with aids and implants. They were my initial reasons to wanting to become a speech therapist and to learn ASL, and they had become some of my best friends - I would not have known them without their being able to use speech, and I'm incredibly grateful that they were able to. I 100% support Heather's talk about building bridges and getting to know your own world, and the bridges between others.

[@6daneo]

Wow! I watched Sound and Fury in Filipino Sign Language Class. She grew up well and her family made me inspired that I am hard of hearing but not decided to use cochlear implant, only hearing aid will do. Im proud of her! Cant wait to do reaction paper for my FSL assignment.

[@writersblock26]

Dane Siquijor How different is FSL from ASL, Dane? 🤔 I ask because I studied ASL for two years in college.

[@charliexu5139]

Today, I watched "Sound and Fury" as part of my aural rehab course by the wonderful Cheryl Donaldson. We also watched this video and the youtube video of her family six years after the original documentary was made. It's amazing how much improvement Heather has made since receiving her cochlear implant at age nine! Her speech-language pathologist did a wonderful job in helping her communicate with both the deaf and hearing community!

[@hartmutteuber8022]

Heather's speech-the-rapist did not help anything to communicate with the deaf community at all! She does and has been doing a good job already since birth. Even with hearing people, like I do! Deaf people have always been trying to communicate with them, only hearing people are ASSHOLES in this with us. It is 100% their inability to do so, not ours. What an extremely dumb remark you've made!

[@lauraverdiel2012]

Beautiful Heather! You are incredible! Thanks for a look into "Heather's World" :-)

[@samiwiegner8305]

"They will be sorry." Girl went to HARVARD. HAR-VARD. And she's a lawyer in D.C. 👏👏👏

[@17065david]

Thank you very much, Heather for you video, and the thought of building a bridge. I wish we could build a bridge of understand among all the people in the world with better communications, but often language and governments isolate us. For example the situation in North Korea.

[@danielles3841]

My ASL professor showed us "Sound and Fury" recently and then directed us to Heather's Tedx Talk! I'm so glad to see she's doing well

[@aliciafelipe7292]

I'm a firm believer that we need to accept people as they are. I've always been interested in ASL and the deaf community. In some ways I feel connected. I am the daughter of an immigrant so having a foot in two different worlds is I think similar to those in the Deaf community. In the end everyone needs to be educated.

[@LordMiaul]

Acabei de assistir ao documentário Som e fúria, devido a uma disciplina na graduação na Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) aqui no Brasil! Parabéns à Heather por toda a superação! Muito sucesso!

[@alicesigns793]

Finally someone like me!! I was born with moderate hearing loss and lip read. I know up to level 2 of BSL from the Uk. I think my speech is like hers. I had deaf friends but no longer in contact so all family and friends are of hearing world.

[@trinitygardnerr]

she's such a huge inspiration to me wow

[@louierichards8459]

Awesome job. I want to be a part of the people reaching out and be on the bridge. I have signed up for ASL classes. That’s a beginning.

[@alanolson6913]

I’m HOH - hard of hearing. I wear dual hearing aids and I sign. Since I can speak, my wife and children don’t sign. If I tell the checker at the market I’m hard of hearing, they nod, smile and keep working and don’t interact. I tell the receptionist at my physician’s office that I’m hard of hearing, they nod, smile and almost shout their questions at me (I do tell them quietly that shouting doesn’t help). If I attend a social event with Deaf and visit around with others, it becomes apparent that I don’t sign as rapidly as they do. It becomes a short conversation and they turn to others who are faster than me (I can converse on just about any subject, my sign speed and accuracy is close to theirs) . It truly does position oneself in two different worlds…neither of which are completely welcoming.

[@unknowndeoxys00]

She's amazing! :D

[@xeff3280]

I didn't need closed captioning to watch this. Well done

[@shotaaizawa7569]

Yasss!! Go Heather!

[@Ksazanovich]

Such an inspiration!

[@Oliviavetter]

We watched her movie “ sound and fury “ in ASL class and it was super good I loved the movie

[@msdixieblues]

Wonderful talk and so happy to see an adult Heather and her description of her life. Standing on the bridge between both worlds was a wonderful metaphor, not just for the hearing problems, but other areas of people's lives. All my life, I have struggled with being in these two worlds and not sure where I still belong. I was born three months premature and I was diagnosed with a hearing loss at age 3. I have moderate to severe hearing loss and wear hearing aids. I can hear and speak fairly well. But for fear of loud noises and vanity, I stopped wearing my hearing aids from age 18 through present day. I now want hearing aids again because I know I am losing out and having difficulty communicating. I feel guilty for thinking I need help since my problem is not as serious as a deaf person, per say. But maybe I can be a part of my own world and function with everyone best I can. Just a quick question for anyone who may know - is it out of date to call myself "hearing impaired" or is there new terminology?

[@hinglemccringleberry9546]

I know this comment is 2 years old, but I just wanted to say thank you for sharing and I hope things have worked out for you. As for the terminology, I think "hearing impaired" is perfectly fine. There is a shift now to use person-first language so you might say are a person who is hearing impaired.

[@JamesSmith-os5dx]

The Deaf community doesn't like the word "impaired" since it suggests that a person with poor/no hearing is 'less' than a hearing person. That's because some Deaf people don't (want to) see deafness as a disability; they reject that mindset. Instead of hearing loss, they view it as deaf gain. "Hard of hearing" would be the most socially acceptable term today. You can be: deaf - deaf in the literal or medical sense. You (practically) can't hear anything. hard of hearing - you don't hear well. Deaf - part of Deaf culture. Deaf culture has its own history, language(s), customs, unspoken social rules, etc. You can be deaf without socializing with those involved in Deaf culture, and hence deaf rather than Deaf. However, not everybody finds that they fit into neat little labels. e.g. deaf/Deaf people with poor signing skills and good speaking+lip reading skills (or choclear implants) sometimes get backlash from some members of the Deaf community. Anyways... TL;DR: hard of hearing

[@junbh2]

+Absolutely Not From what I can tell, many hearing people say 'hearing impaired' is fine, but a LOT of deaf people (not all, but a lot) find it quite offensive and insulting.

[@jessicashlager7193]

If I am not mistaken, in the Deaf community they don't use that terminology since they don't see themselves as impaired. Another option would be "hard of hearing".

[@FzyonZarzuelaFernandez]

I can't believe at all that #HeatherArtinian was talking pretty clear now after she received a cochlear implant couple of years ago ! May God bless your college year and your family too ! 😅😇

[@hartmutteuber8022]

Heather was already talking pretty good before getting the implants, as I heard, intelligibly for many hearing people who have never heard a deaf speech. A great many deaf kids of deaf parents could speak pretty intelligibly.

[@Ezinma88]

More people like Heather in the world, please. I just wish we could find out what happened to her little cousin, Peter from the first film. I hope it all turned out ok for him too.

[@JenniferStewart27]

There's a 6 year update video on KZbin if you search "sound and fury 6 year update". Unfortunately Peter and his parents didn't want to participate in the update, but the director said he's doing just fine!

[@bbrmb2020]

Brilliant young lady

[@LoreDeluge]

I am glad she is where she wants to be. I hate they didn’t let her get it sooner though

[@livya135]

watching is video for my bioethics class and wow shes such a boss

[@guigolcha]

Heather, you're a wonderful model! I am proudly your fan, a bilateral cochlear implant user as well. You're always making difference in our lives. You have already made an impact. For that, I'm thankful. I would like to translate the speech's subtitles to Portuguese. Is this possible?

[@jamessharp3327]

Guilherme- if we send you the transcript can you translate it into portugese? we could add that to the video

[@guigolcha]

James Sharp yes. Please send me the transcript with the time code (subtitle file, .srt) and consider it done =)

[@jamessharp3327]

Guilherme Chazan actually you can press the transcript button beneath the video and it is there

[@wateryposedion5235]

Hello Mrs. Cook's ASL CLASS!!!

[@nemodakidz6012]

Some how i came across this and i remember a documentary of Sound and Fury show. Wow she was a cute young girl that sign and now look at this.. she all grown up and she not signing on this show... it seem like hearing people is taking over and leave deaf behind this.. i would stand on a sage, sign and talk the same time.

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

When I’m older, I want to adopt two deaf children from China. The thought of that excites me because as a hearing person, I’ll get to learn sign language and help them grow their deaf identity.

[@emmarose4234]

Wonder if she’s ever met Heather Whitestone McCallum. I love the name Heather!

[@aqwaayt]

We had to watch sound and fury in my Auslan class

[@writersblock26]

Aqwaa Is Auslan Australian Sign Language? 🤔

[@ashmitaphnuyal3368]

I am very happy.. I had to write an essay about convincing her parents to get an implant.... And she speaks very well.. Her vocabularies are standard.. KEEP IT UP Heather

[@hartmutteuber8022]

Interesting, your audist professor asked you to write an essay to convince a parent of a deaf child to get a CI. He must be trying to brainwash you. This is a gross example of audism in an academic environment!

[@ashmita6769]

You could talk to the English Department of SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY... I would not mind... Its a personal opinion...

[@sharonjones7929]

The reason why she is articulate is because she had access to a language from birth, sign language. The first 3 years of life are critical for language development. Regardless of whether a family opts to get their child implanted or not it is vitally important that parents & caregivers give deaf children access to sign language.

[@jenniferramos1322]

im baerly watching that movie sound and fury :D

[@writersblock26]

Jennifer Ramos Nothing wrong with that, Jennifer 😉 At least you finally watched the documentary!

[@gjackart57]

I am pleading you please add closed captioned on the bottom of this screen.

[@dakotarogers7066]

How about adding sign language, which supposedly is her native language.

[@caleymcbride1340]

Dakota Rogers ...supposedly?

[@ouaiscestvrai]

It is captioned for KZbin, you just have to turn them on.

[@Oliviavetter]

I live in Rochester ny 🤯

[@odelay21]

Why is there no captioning?

[@karaokeandrandomclips]

shay robertson There is, just click on the CC button.

[@dakotarogers7066]

Why is there no sign language?

[@nadusir1249]

Noiceee

[@Anzuri]

OMG

[@perpetualpleasurist]

She is Super Cute. Very Attractive.

[@antonioramos10]

Deaf community members have expressed concerns for the message conveyed in this seminar.

[@ericalbro450]

Hello, my name is Eric Albro, a Board member of the National Deaf Freedom Association, Inc. Can we interview you for a possible candidate to join our NDFA, Inc. in near future?

[@robynmackie4958]

That is too bad Heather did not realize that it is the audist attitude demonstrated by the employer is what cost her dad the promotion. If his employer had a better attitude and understanding, her dad would have gotten the promotion. I hope someday CIs would not be thought necessary anymore, due to the widespread awareness of the benefits of Sign Language, Deaf community, and Deaf culture. All aspects are very rich and so many people would greatly benefit from those. This world is 90% visual anyhow!! In other words, 90% of information goes to the brain via eyes. NOT ears. It is just that the majority of the society uses their ears to listen rather than their eyes.

[@dakotarogers7066]

Thank you! 100% agree with you.

[@elkmpas7336]

Like si venis por tu profe de ingles

[@ultimate2018]

I was extremely frustrated at these parents. They are so into their "deaf" culture, and they were so prideful. It is extremely selfish to deny your daughter the right to hear just because you can't do it.

[@ijpete98]

+viacommustdie4 An important question is (and I in no way mean to attack you, just prompt you and others in the comments to consider): are we so immersed in and accustomed to our hearing culture that we cannot respect the legitimate culture of those unlike us? In Sign and Fury, not only were Heather's parents resistant to the invasion of hearing culture into their lives, but hearing individuals, especially Peter's mother, were also closed-minded and angry when looking from a hearing perspective. Most of us understand very well the idea that deafness is a problem that, if it can, should be fixed. But the perspective of Deaf Culture is a very real and important one to all who are "big D" Deaf. After all, sign language is Heather's natural language; Deaf culture is her natural community. Even now, Heather associates with those who are Deaf because she understands the importance of Deaf Culture to herself and her family, as well as the importance of people like her to the Deaf Community.

[@hartmutteuber8022]

In the film "Sound and Fury", Peter's father did threaten to disinherit him or stopping his son any financial support, unless the latter allows his deaf daughter to be cochlear implanted. Peter's mother is perceived by many as the overpowering ogre in the film. My hearing parents are not like them. They are simple farmer folk and more tolerant to diversity, imbued in nature that includes social variation. Heather did express interest in a cochlear implant at the time when the documentary was filmed. At that time her signing and facial expressions showed clearly, it was just out of curiosity to learn what is like to hear sounds, kind of child-like reasoning. But at the age of 10, her decision was more mature. Deaf people generally respect this decision and would not ostracize people like her. My writings attest to this fact based on 60+ years of observations. Cochlear implants are like ordinary hearing aids, which the Deaf community has accepted all along. Deaf identity, the sense of belonging to the Deaf World with its global culture is deeply ingrained already in her, which is paramount or fundamental for psychological sanity. Just imagine yourself, how would you envision Mankind, being all hearing and none Deaf with its varied sign languages? Scaring? A Big Loss for the Human Culture sans any Visual Language, Gone Forever! Any Deaf person would not feel affinity fully to the Hearing World. I see Heather is still imbedded in the Deaf World, stronger there than in the Hearing World. The Heather World is individualized like mine and needs a greater world to clutch on. No wonder, out of this sensing the duality of Deaf-Hearing worlds, she is majoring in government and social justice at GTU, coming from the oppressed world dealing with the oppressing hearing world of her grandparents.

[@writersblock26]

Isaac Peterson I could not have said it better, Isaac! 👍

[@clairee4939]

@@ijpete98 Thanks. Glad Heather’s good experience. Why wasn’t bilingualism respected by the doctors？ Even then it’s known bilingualism is an advantage for all other languages. We had toddler French classes and toddler Japanese where I lived. I’m pretty sure baby sign was a thing. That was double-standards an disrespect caused her parents so much anxiety about it. I met more people forced away from signing who struggled in education than any got into elite university. I wish hearing people address their discrimination and stop judging Deaf community as too isolated and a ghetto, selfish etc. Why exclude us then call us selfish etc? Heather’s parents were anxious and confused not selfish.

[@kamalabuhenamostafa]

Everything has a rule, somee must be private for responsibility Ii i have done anything wrong i must have to punish in the here after. if 2 it will not accepted to God, because of the acceepted witness problem.

[@niterider1914]

I would like to see and hear her in an interview with someone to see if she really can communicate or just talk better? Does any interview exist? I wonder if she can hold a conversation . I don't think she can

[@hartmutteuber8022]

@nitrider1914, Yes Heather can conduct a conversation well. She has Deaf parents and grew up in a communication rich family, which her parents did not have, because their parents were hearing and do not know sign language well. Peter's mother does know some sign, which she learned while Peter was already way into the teens. Just remember as a general rule, if a deaf child has deaf parents, it will grow up in a communicatively richer environment than if it haa non-signing hearing parents.

[@kingnay08]

Damn.... She is stacked ;)

[@dakotarogers7066]

If you truly wanted to build a bridge between the deaf and hearing world, why didn't you sign and speak at the same time?

[@M_SC]

Because the words aren’t the same and don’t go in the same order. People speaking and signing at the same time are bastardising their signing into cave man like signing

[@sicongwang4392]

The vigorous record atypically peel because united kingdom internationally pop into a labored pair. unwritten, magical lock

[@skye96]

Are people really going to try and say that they understand her speech? This is not an insult to her, but I missed a lot of what she is saying, because OF COURSE. People don't understand that the cochlear implant is not a magical device that will make you hear and speak like normal. It is an INVASIVE, dangerous procedure that harms the cochlea in the process, can leave people with permanent nerve damage in their face, and the results are not even close to full hearing. If you seriously would have your young child risk that for something that doesn't even give you full hearing, then you are irresponsible, and not only that, you do not respect Deaf people. If being Deaf is more scary to you than that surgery, you need to seriously consider why you see Deaf people as being inferior. Deaf people can have good, happy, full lives - provided their families and the people close to them support them, let them use ASL and give them a good education (just like anyone else, btw). If you have an implant or want one, then that's fine, but what makes me sick is trying to force it on a child that is too young to even understand the risks, just because you don't want them to be Deaf.

[@mossball9569]

I don't think that it shows a lack of respect to Deaf people by implanting. There are risks that come with a lot of things in everyday life, and if someone wants the ability to hear speech and other sounds, then that's great! Hearing is a beautiful thing. And I don't think it matters as much to Deaf people if their hearing is not as good as a hearing persons. Someone who is implanted would not take hearing basic sounds for granted, like hearing people tend to do. Audiologists tell possible implant patients this as well, that their hearing will not be fully restored and that a lot of things sound quite robotic. The amount of times that a CI surgery fails is very low. People like Heather seem very content with their implant and it is completely possible to balance both worlds and see neither world or culture as inferior.

[@JordanJFan]

Skye St. james statistics show that 2/3 of every deaf person in the states fails to complete high-school. We live in a world where hearing people dominate, but that doesn't make deaf and hearing impaired people inferior. There are lots of challenges with being deaf. I know this to be true because I was deaf from the age of 3 until I got my cochlear implant at age 5. I got my second at age 7. I speak 3 different languages, and 3 different dialects in one of those languages. I got to a very prestigious hearing high-school and have straight A's. I play guitar in a band and sing as well. I also hear just about as good as the average person with biological hearing. Yes it may be an invasive and dangerous procedure, but only a medical professional can judge if it's dangerous. According to doctors who perform this type of surgery it is a minimal risk procedure.

[@fireflyits]

Her speech is poor because she was implanted at 9 years old. Research shows that the sooner you implant a child, the better they will learn speech and language. Also, they will be more intelligible because their brain and auditory pathways will develop and strengthen by hearing sound at such an early age.

[@hartmutteuber8022]

The statistic you mention can be accepted as real, even though numerically may not be accurate. Think about 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents with no knowledge of ASL. They grow up linguistically and educationally deprived in most cases. The average reading level of English texts (and of any other spoken language) hovers between third and fourth grades. It may be a bit better now, like fifth grade. Just look at the grand average nationally. Fifth grade level is when one BEGINS to have obtained basic literacy ability, for newspapers are usually written at the 5th grade level with lots of "advanced" vocabulary.

[@hartmutteuber8022]

Surgically, the procedure may be minimal. But socially, it is huge. It goes into the realm of oppression of a social and cultural entity by the majority in the society. A matter of human rights! Most of the ENT profession are like the used car salespersons operating with a mask of benevolence to sell their ware no matter what. They are obsessed audists and strengthen the value of hearing in patients, especially parents of deaf children, instead of transmitting the info that living in silence is OK as attested by the living of Deaf people, just to make a buck or get the ROI quickly to pay off the investment of the CI-clinics. There are several adjustments that can be made to live in a soundless world, like people making adjustments for living in a different climate or environment. The medical profession cannot be trusted completely to advise in this vitally unneeded invasive procedure.