Deaf News: Deafness could be treated by virus, say scientists

Ahem…I am not being cynical….yes, animals could respond to sounds, but what about the ability to hear and respond to spoken words?
There is a difference in hearing fudged sounds and clear sounds depending on the restoration of the genetic qualities of hearing.

While the news are welcome in preventing genetic hearing loss, we hope this instance would not cause false assumptions and “so-called experts” to drop signing and other means of efficiently assistive communication – research has clearly stated BOTH deaf and hearing people need to maximise learning and social development via (65%) visual and (35%) audio channels.

Although I only have a sound processing difficulty and not a ‘deafness’ as such. I’d feel quite uncomfortable about the idea of anyone attempting to ‘fixing’ me.

Yes my hearing ‘difficulties’ present me with many problems and the support I get through access to work for these issues, as well as for my dyslexia and dyspraxia, often lead to me in a room with some one quietly suggesting I try a different career, again, due to my inability to adjust or cope with out any adjustment.

I realise while many people would welcome the opportunity, I think for me my differences have become a part of my being and therefor my identity.

Yes, I would love that career where the job I do plays to all my strengths and the challenges I face melt away as the access I receive levels that playing field for me.

To have those parts of me ‘fixed’, by people who seem to have little understanding of what it is to be labled ‘broken’ when you dont believe you are, for me, is a uncomforting idea.

Here’s to an appreciation of diversity and options that suit a range of needs and situations, with out the uncomforting rhetoric.

This could potentially cause serious ethical problems. Suppose some Deaf people don’t want to be cured, then what unfair pressures will they be put under?

Already, they are thinking about compelling some unemployed/disabled people to accept medical treatment as a condition for continuing to claim social security. You are on very dangerous moral ground when you force somebody to take treatment that they don’t want.

Deaf people who are employed may not be exempt from such pressures either. Both the government and employers may want to look to reducing the cost of in-work support, for example.

Hearing people sometimes seem to think that such a cure is always wanted and will always solve all our problems, but that is ignorance. I remember Charlie writing an article, I think it was called ‘Not everybody wants to be cured,’ something like that, and one of the most popular but ignorant – and disturbing – comments underneath was to the effect that ‘If Deaf people don’t want a cure, then all state support should be taken from them….’

So it’s not all good news for everybody.