Lack of deaf awareness in hospitals

After a sleepless morning and night, I sat in the children’s room with my son to watch him undergo general anesthesia for the very first time. My husband and I both felt a little fragile, even though we had only reached the MRI test stage.

After I left, a doctor told me that they would recommend a cochlear implant. The surgery would take place as soon as possible. In an effort to get more information, I inquired about other options that we could choose if we did not want a cochlear implant. Before the response was verbalized, it was clear: the confused looks of professionals who didn’t see implants as an option but as a simple fix that parents wouldn’t be foolish to ignore.

We spoke with all professionals, Deaf adults, and families who had experienced this situation before. We read books and studies and argued back and forth about what would be best for our children. It was a long and tedious process.

Benji does not need to be fixed, but the cochlear implant is presented as a solution, which was a surprise. We knew that we wanted to do everything we could to help our child and to remove the language barrier. This meant teaching him English while also learning British Sign Language. We didn’t want him to go through a risky procedure that could leave him with nothing but exhaustion and headaches, as well as alienating him from the Deaf Community.

I was stunned when I heard that the implants meant we would no longer need sign language. I couldn’t understand how they could compare a device for accessing sound with a language. Why are implants and BSL either/or? This attitude was a major hindrance in our decision-making. It was an eye-opener to the fact that some health professionals are not always deaf-friendly, including those who work with deaf individuals.

We were back at the hospital when we decided to proceed with cochlear implant surgery. As parents, it was a difficult time. We were cautiously optimistic about the future but anxious about the surgery. Undoubtedly, it was a more difficult experience for our son. There was no deaf awareness among the staff that we encountered, and none of them could sign with our son. I was broken-hearted when we were told that our little boy had asked for me after surgery, but no one could understand him because he signed. It was heartbreaking to learn that no one could comfort or reassure our little boy that we were on the ward waiting for him. The staff was mostly nice, and while I understand that they are busy and under-resourced, it was difficult to see them not know how to interact. This is a problem for many families.

I believe that basic BSL and deaf awareness training should be provided in hospitals, especially those where deaf patients are treated. It would have been a huge help to my son and our family.