Made to Hear: Cochlear Implants and Raising Deaf Children

by Laura Mauldin

A mother whose child has had a cochlear implant tells Laura Mauldin why enrollment in the sign language program at her daughter’s school is “The majority of parents want their kids to talk.” Some parents, however, feel very differently, because “curing” deafness with cochlear implants is uncertain, difficult, and freighted with judgment about what is normal, acceptable, and right. Made to Hear sensitively and thoroughly considers the structure and culture of the systems we have built to make deaf children hear. Based on accounts of and interviews with families who adopt the cochlear implant for their deaf children, this book describes the experiences of mothers as they navigate the health care system, their interactions with the professionals who work with them, and the influence of neuroscience on the process. Though Mauldin explains the politics surrounding the issue, her focus is not on the controversy of whether to have a cochlear implant but on the long-term, multiyear undertaking of implantation. Her study provides a nuanced view of a social context in which science, technology, and medicine are trusted to vanquish disability—and in which mothers are expected to use these tools. Made to Hear reveals that implantation has the central goal of controlling the development of the deaf child’s brain by boosting synapses for spoken language and inhibiting those for sign language, placing the politics of neuroscience front and center. Examining the consequences of cochlear implant technology for professionals and parents of deaf children, Made to Hear shows how certain neuroscientific claims about neuroplasticity, deafness, and language are deployed to encourage compliance with medical technology.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published February 29, 2016

Reviews

[Svetlana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must for parents of deaf and hard of hearing kids

I highly recommend this book as someone who was deafened at 2 from an illness, raised oral, using sign language in a school for deaf, attending mainstream, schools as the only deaf person without any formal support services, attending universities and finally using access services. I'm a profoundly deaf whom hearing aids were of no use and currently use a cochlear implant. I'm also fluent in ASL as a fifth language and I'm a foreign born but my deafness didn't prevent me from mastering English as a foreign language. I find it sad about division between oral and signing cultures and feel that everyone needs to get along. As a deaf adult, I believe in using all communication options whenever possible and not limiting to just one.

[Caitlin Dunbrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would recommend this to all parents to deaf children, however, I think it should be paired with a book like Train Go Sorry or some prior knowledge of deaf culture. Many of the parents here have been isolated from Deaf culture and have preconceived notions about it. If one were to read this book with no knowledge on Deaf Education they might not pick up on the subtleties, noticing when parents were told factually incorrect statements or what the results of language deprivation look like. Many children with CIs grow up happy and content, but many also learn sign later resent their CIs and parents for forcing them into oralism.

This is hands down a fantastic book, I couldn’t put it down, I would just suggest a familiarity with Deaf Culture, History and Education first. And not all programs look like this, the bimodal model is more and more popular!

[Sofia DR · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was fine. like good and interesting in content, but it felt boring to read

6/10?

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really interesting sociological book examining the impact of society’s expectations and norms on why people implant their children… but doesn’t go far enough. Although the author is clearly critical of the choice to implant, she fails to discuss the deaf community perspective in any sort of depth or to draw conclusions.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, even though it took me a while to read because of how busy I am. But I appreciate the care put into it, and it is something I can see looking back to in the future.