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Cheng, Katelyn. “Deaf Schools versus Mainstream Schools: Start ASL.” Start ASL | Learn American Sign Language with Our Complete 3-Level Course!, Katelyn Cheng Https://Www.startasl.com/Wp-Content/Uploads/StartASLlogoFinal-1.Png, 18 Aug. 2021, https://www.startasl.com/deaf-schools-versus-mainstream-schools/.

“Pros and Cons of Cochlear Implants.” Hearing Devices, https://www.babyhearing.org/devices/cochlear-implant-pros-cons.

Dehgan, Nadine. “Helpful Tips for Parents of Children with Hearing Loss.” Hearing Health Foundation, Hearing Health Foundation, 27 Apr. 2023, https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/blogs/helpful-tips-for-parents-of-children-with-hearing-loss.

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Listed Below are some different options of where my friend could send their child to school.

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Imagine if you will that your best friend just had a baby, and that baby turned out to be Deaf. How would you help your friend to the best of your abilities?

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Where do I do it?

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Here are the pros and cons of cochlear implants.

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Here is some advice my friend….

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From the list that was given to me I have chosen to help my friend with knowledge about different Education, Cochlear, Advice, and ASL Classes around the Houston area.

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One of the first options of education for your deaf child is sending them into a mainstream education. This means that’s your child will be put into a hearing environment with other hearing children that will mainly consist of speaking.  (No ASL)
Although your child will learn how to speak and read lips, many Deaf educator do not recommend this option.

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The Pros of cochlear implants are Hearing Improvement, Speech Development, Opportunities, and Safety. If you chose the “Mainstream” choice from my last panel then cochlear will probably be your next step, because it will be hard being in a hearing world on their own and for it to be easier, your child will need help with Hearing (even if it is a little bit) and Speech. Safety is another big thing with cochlears, they will help your child hear sirens, alarms, and other important signals. The last thing that Cochlears help with is opportunities in the future. With ASL on board and no cochlears your child’s future work opportunities are slightly limited, but with cochlears the doors will open a little bit more.

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One of the most important thing for any child to receive from their parents is love and acceptance. Especially for any Deaf child acceptance is going to literally change their life because throughout their life they will be told that there is something “wrong” with them and that they aren’t like others and that they need to be fixed. But if you are constantly telling them that they are perfect the way they are or that you will love them no matter what, they will cherish that memory and grow as a person. If you decide to learn ASL with you child, make learning a family activity. Not only can learning ASL be fun but it can also be a core memory for the child. My final note of advice for you would be do make educated decisions for you child and include your child in their decisions, you don’t want your child to resent you for doing something that they didn’t want.

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Deaf schools are the more expensive option but end up being better for the kid in the long run. At most Deaf institutions the children learn everything a hearing child would only in ASL. The environment would be very accepting of course and very accessible. The only “con” would be no speech therapy or training if you want your child to talk

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Online, Learning ASL is hard and not Ideal but for some people in remote places it is all they have. When learning ASL online I recommend that you do it with a friend or Deaf person that can help you along the way when you get something wrong. Private Tutor, Learning ASL from a private tutor is maximum learning. You get 24/7 attention on you and your signs, the only downfall is the price. Local community college classes, like most people going to your local college to learn is ideal. You get a environment of other people trying to learn, a cheaper price, and a Deaf Professor to ask any question to you might need. The benefits of learning ASL are endless, you get communication with your child and other Deaf individuals that can help you and probably have Deaf children of their own.

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The cons of cochlears are Surgery, Cost, Background Noise, and Maintenance. Doing surgery at a young age can put your child at risk and can inhabit their health in the future. Like most things in American healthcare, it will be super expensive and if you don’t have insurance it will most likely not be an option for you. Background noise, most children who were Deaf for a time complain about their cochlears and the background noise that comes from it, causing stress. The background noise also makes it harder for the child to hear and in turn they will most likely need assistance in busy or crowded places. Maintenance; as if the cost of surgery wasn’t enough, the constant upkeep charges and work to keep these puppies up and running are a lot.