As a mother of a grown, deaf son I would like to pass along what was most helpful to me. I was in a total shock to find out our son Carl was born deaf! My biggest concern was to find the right school and educate him.
My husband was on active duty stationed at Barksdale Air Force base in Shreveport, Louisiana. I found out about Line Avenue School in Shreveport where they had a day program teaching deaf children.
I enrolled Carl in this program at the age of five. They were trying to teach Carl the oral method of communicating. I visited the school often and observed the teacher so I could work with Carl at home. I use to sit for hours at a time and make Carl repeat after me. This was a very slow, tiring process.
When Carl was ten years old we transferred to Austin, Texas where Carl was enrolled at the Texas
School for the Deaf. Carl was introduced to sign language. One teacher said to me, "Talk with your mouth, talk with your hands, I don't care which but talk, talk, talk!"
I learned the manuel alphabet over night. It was like a whole new world opened for Carl and I and the whole family! We could actually communicate! Carl could talk to me and I could talk to him!
There was no more pointing to things that Carl wanted. He could tell me what he wanted.
When Carl was twelve my husband retired from the Air Force which meant another move. We moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I enrolled Carl in the Louisiana School for the Deaf. Carl graduated in 1973.
He has an associate degree in Graphic Arts. Today Carl is self supporting holding a good job for a very large insurance company in Baton Rouge. He is also a single parent raising two children. His daughter is an interpreter for the hearing impaired at Louisiana State University. His son is a senior in college this year.
I say, talk to your deaf child in whatever method works best for you and your child but talk, talk, talk.
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Mary V. Rivers is Cajun. She couldn't speak English when she started school at the age of six. Her son's handicap has been an inspiration for her to further her education. She returned to school at the age of 50 after raising a family of five. She received her high school equivalency diploma and has taken college courses. She also completed a writing course with the Newspaper Institute of America in New York.
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Copyright Mary V. Rivers 2001. All
rights reserved.
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