AboutDr. Jerry Martin Jr. Expertise I am deaf myself and I do know what is like as a deaf person, how we communicate on the different levels (Reading Lips, American Sign Language, English Sign Language and etc.).
I will be able to provide you advice about this topic from range childhood to adulthood. Please do understand that I will not give you any advice regards medication because I am not a medical doctor.
Experience
Past/Present clients I had has worked with both deaf and hearing clients (Children and Adults) in the past 20 years.
Question Hello,
My name is Christine. I am 18 years old and I am HOH. I lost 80% of hearing when I was infant due to side effects of drug to keep me alive. I graduated from high school in the top ten students out of 120. In high school, I declined to wear an auditory trainer or have the teacher wear a microphone because I would lose what the students would say. Anyway, I I am going to college in Tacoma, WA. (I currently live in western PA). My parents have arranged for a note-taker for my college classes. My parents won't allow me to do sign language. I spent 14 years in speech therapy. I am understood most of the time. I went to a mainstream school. My senior year of high school I took physics, calculus, anatomy, AP European History and English. I got straight As. I found high school easy because I was forced to work alone and teach myself the subject because understanding the teacher is difficult for me. I have a job (not much longer because I am moving) but I wasn't able to advance higher because I can't use a phone at all along with my difficulty to understand the hearing. Now that you know most information, I can now ask my question. Like most people, when they go to college, they don't know what they are going to major in. I don't either. But what is your opinion...because of my disability, am I limited in what jobs I can take or pursue? I considered teaching (mainstream schools) and being a doctor when I was younger but both were strongly discouraged by my parents. I have difficulty understanding hearing people talk and I couldn't hear the stethoscope when I took anatomy. Anyway, do you have any suggestions? I don't want to sound corny, but I want to do something with my life, not go to college then work in a box cubical the rest of my life. I want to help people, not work for a corperation make money and forget about the world's problems. When around hearing people, they seem to forget how difficult it is for me to understand them, that they say I can do anything, but I am not sure if that is true anymore.
Anyway thanks,
Christine
Answer Hello Christine,
It is true "HOH and Deaf can do anything they want except HEAR". You should not give up college based on your parent's suggestion. It is your life and your choice to pursue not parent.
Look at me, I am a deaf doctor (Ed.D) Doctor of Education. I had notetakers and interpreters in the college. I also had CARTS(someone who type the words as person being said and text sents to my computer, I read it and type back. I am a quick learner, they allow me to do my work at my own pace and I graduated from university with highest honors..actually I was the first deaf doctor who graduated there.
Whatever you want to do, look what you can do or can't do-make a list of jobs you want to be. I was a teacher of special education for 6 years. I am deaf, I had no problems working with hearing people. I never give up. You could do it. SMILE. I think you will be a great teacher! I am willing to be your mentor if you choose to.
