Essay on the Book Deaf Like Me

Chapter one of the book Deaf like me tells of a 1964 story of a family that is struggling to teach their deaf daughter, Lynn how to communicate. The kid's condition was triggered by an outbreak of German measles in Dorm. After discovering that she is pregnant and infected with measles, Louise, Lynn's mother is worried about the condition of her unborn kid. The family hopes their unborn child is well and unaffected. In many situations, expectant parents rarely think of the likelihood that their unborn babies may turn out to be handicapped.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Chapter two elucidates how Lynn's parents realize that she was deaf. She would not react to loud noises, despite the doctor's deduction that Lynn was health at the time of her birth. Her parents were initially much worried about her hearing aptitude, but then they realized she was excellent and responsive when they spoke to her. They were however worried by the inability of their daughter to cringe at the sounds of a parade and fireworks, which compelled them to have her tested and unfortunately, the test indicated a profound hearing loss.

In chapter three, the author tells how healthy Lynn looked. At times, she could smile, laugh and even chuckle, just like any other average kid. However, the situation got worse when her parents realized that she would ignore their voices. They sought medical guidance from Dr. Bale who regularly trashed Louise's concern about Lynn condition. At six months, Lynn's habit of banging her head decreased. For the hearing and talking problem, the couple sought help from Mrs. Cardwell, an audiologist who warned them against using gestures on Lynn as it would make her not to speak at all.

Chapter four flinches by showing how Thomas and Louse are dashed in a tumultuous choices, assistances, sorrow and despairs in trying to help Lynn. Eventually, they apprehend that the superlative choice for their daughter is to enroll to sign language classes as a way of improving her communication aids. The chapter outlines various gears that were applied to Lynn and auditory training which unfortunately depicted minimal results.

In chapter five, the primary concerns that the Spradley had to bear with were much more perplexing for them. Consequently, they were glowing desperate and they did not seem to be helping their daughter as well. After it had hit them that Lynn was indeed deaf, they were recommended by various relevant experts and institutions such as Chicago Hearing Society, to seek more consultancy but to certainly avoid gesturing to her as it would be detrimental to her learning.

In their pursuit of better options, chapter six elucidates how Tom and Louise enrolled to a Deaf Correspondence Course, which they had read about from the Oral Magazine. They worked hard together on this development where they realized that lip-reading was certainly a hard thing. This suggests that sometimes people does not understand how tough it can be in adjusting and fitting to the "normal" state, for the disabled people.

Chapter seven clarifies how, wherever the Spradleys' family go, they always received similar advice. They were always counseled to keep talking to her and make her make resonances as well as making her read their lips, but not gesturing at her. With relevance to this, constant treating someone in a certain way can get him to look and adhere to it. Consequently, though Lynn was deaf, treating her as one would induce deaf-personality in her and thus surpassing efforts to help her speak.

As time goes by, Lynn starts doing speech therapy in John Tracy Clinic, which involves various matching games and exercises. It also included constant utterances of certain words which enhanced the adaptation, relevance, and effectiveness of the used teaching subconscious and conscious strategies as outlined by the JTC.

Chapter nine introduces the Volta review of Alexander Graham Bell and his establishment of deaf people, and how it has enhanced the effectiveness of the hearing aids. It elucidates how complicated and ineffective hearing aids were in the wake of 1960 and 70s. The Spradleys' meet Mrs. Brand and who empowers them with stories one being about orally raised Deaf individuals.

In chapter ten the Spradleys pack their things and move to another city. After arriving, they encounter different settings from the ones they are used to. Lynn is fascinated for coming across new friend despite her inability to socialize with them and thus feels isolated. At times Lynn would be secluded, and Louise is unable to comfort and get her to accept the reality of her condition.

Deaf children usually lack certain skills, which are connected to the vocal sounds. Additionally, Chapter Eleven tells of a situation where the Spradleys' family are invited to a friend's party, among other neighborhood. Among the available children, only Lynn is unable to blow off a candle. It is then that everyone realizes how it is important for parents to teach their children simple things like blowing a candle. It is then that the family pinpoints that Lynn's central problem is the contraction of vocal muscles and lungs.

In chapter twelve, Lynn won't be able to join a school for the deaf, because she is underage. Her parents are very enthusiastic to secure her a special school, but none would admit her especially that she was multi-handicapped. They would only admit only those who understand manual language. In my opinion, these conditions are limitations toward the assistance of the deaf.

The book elucidates critical insights on how much parents undergo in pursuit for better things of their children. It raises confusion that is detrimental in finding the sound approach. The Spadleys are constantly convinced to send their daughter to oral conservatory on the grounds that, if she fails the aptitude to talk and read lips, she would be a waste in the contemporary hearing domain. In my view, Lynn parent followed the right path in saving their daughter and eventually, it paid off

Work Cited

Spradley, T., & Spradley, J. (2004). Deaf like me (1st ed.). Washington, DC: Gallaudet Univ. Press.