Deaf with Autism
Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. - Helen Keller
I met an autism parent yesterday who has a child who is deaf AND has autism. My heart went out to this family for the added level of complications related to having multiple issues. I can only imagine how difficult this was with diagnosing. Kids with autism are often confused with kids who have hearing issues and having both of these disorders can greatly delay an accurate diagnosis and more importantly the services which can help the child.
Like many parents of a child with autism, the parent I met yesterday was fighting with the school system. In this case, it was over some very petty issues. It for sure takes a very special teacher to help these kids.
In our own case, seizures complicated diagnosis and treatment of our child, deafness and autism looks even more complicated. This parent described taking a second mortgage out on their house to get cochlear implants and the fact that the child had no hearing during the critical years when language forms. We all know that parents will do anything and everything to help their child. It’s so heartbreaking to hear about such a financial strain on top of everything else.
Below are some resources if you suspect your child may be deaf with autism. Get a hearing test ASAP and start interventions early!
Related:
- Deaf People with Autism
- Information on Hearing Loss - Genetics and Deafness - Autism and Deafness: A Psychologist’s Perspective
- Deaf Autism Support Group
- Deaf Autism Yahoo Support Group
- Deaf Autreat Group
- The Application of PECS in a Deaf Child with Autism: A Case Study
- Odyssey on Deaf Children with Autism
- Early Intervention in Deafness and Autism (PDF)
- Co-Occurrence of Autism and Deafness
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I’m currently in that same situaution.I have an eight year old who is deaf and has Autism and I cannot tell you the struggles my husband and I face everyday with our son from behavior and sleep issues to sensory,potty training,school placement and communication,we’ve been through it all,but through it all having our son in our life is the best thing that ever happened to us and we wouldn’t change that for the world. Everyday is a struggle,but it is also a blessing!
The Learning Center for the Deaf (Framingham, MA) hosted an international autism and deafness conference in October, 2008. Several of the related links above were founded by people who were instrumental in getting this conference off the ground. Connecting with those on-line support groups can be very beneficial to families. They will be the ones to know of future get-togethers or conferences for families.
I have a 10-year old daughter who are both deaf and with autistic features. Our calender is full of her doctors’ appointment but of course everyday is a blessing and new experience for us. I pray everyday that she’ll have a normal life like any other kids. But having her is really a life change and make us more patience, tolerance and better person.
I’m in a similar situation, have a nonverbal 4 year old with hearing aids, and everyday is a struggle, but a blessing at the same time. Going to try methyl b12 treatment through dr. neubrander. Don’t lose hope, keep trying and praying.
I too have a four year old with cochlear implant. He is starting the PECS system at school, and is showing beginning signs of reciprocating the actions to his teachers. So far we have not had much luck at home. He is one of 7 kids here, and getting him to interact with any one else but me is a struggle. He is very inward with his attention. But we press on every day.
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hello! thought i was alone in my situation - appears i am not! my 8-year old son was born profoundly deaf and was diagnosed with autisitc spectral disorder at age 4. his mother passed away around the time he was diagnosed, so i have been raising him and his older sister on my own ever since. not an easy task. however i just wanted to clarify that there ARE schools out there that specialize with this rare dual-disability. my son just started at one such school recently and he is doing GREAT. the school is 4 hours away - he is in the residential program (kinda hard cause i miss him not being around all the time). the name of the school he goes to is Pressley Ridge School for the Deaf located in Pittsburgh. DON”T GIVE UP! there ARE programs/schools out there. hound-dog your school districts until they meet your kids’ needs! my school district pays for everything. by law, THEY HAVE TO! anyway, i hope this helps out anyone who feels alone with this rare situation. stay strong!