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why do people think I am deaf ??
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Posted by: Snowie Ž
07/22/2004, 13:25:02
Hi folks,

Can some one enlighten me as to why people think I sound as though I am 'deaf' ..... this is an on-going problem for me.
My motorbike broke down today (am having a hell of a week lol) .... and some fella on his motorbike stopped to see if he could help, and he thought I was deaf. This is the 2nd time in just a few days this has happened ...and it used to happen frequently .. I wonder if my voice sounds more strange when I have difficulties with my breathing, or wheezy because of my asthma, with the Ab SD, maybe it makes me sound like I'm deaf! ?...... Can some one please help me work this one out because it is very frustrating, SD is bad enough with out the whole world assuming I'm deaf as well .....

I am going to get back in contact with my speech-therapist and see if there is any way we can improve on things such as my breathing, maybe that will help and not make me sound so 'deaf-like' ..... I am trully puzzled ... does any one else have people assuming their deaf ???

Snowie,
Ab/SD London, UK



Modified by Snowie at Thu, Jul 22, 2004, 15:01:54

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Re: why do people think I am deaf ??
Re: why do people think I am deaf ?? -- Snowie Top of thread Archive
Posted by: sbayle Ž
07/22/2004, 21:27:27
I believe that sometimes my voice has an unusual quality which may remind some individuals of the unusual voice quality that speaking Deaf people have. I don't take it as an insult but merely state that I can hear fine- but have a voice disorder and my speech is affected.

I was actually conversing with a Deaf woman who told me an interesting story. She was traveling by plane to Seattle from the East coast with a connection in the mid West. She informed the flight attendant that she is Deaf. When her plane arrived late for the mid West connection- she was concerned that she would miss her connecting flight. Upon deplaning- she was surrounded by airline assistants and offered a wheel chair. My friend was stunned. She was also quite insulted. She did not need a wheelchair because she is Deaf!!

It is clear that the general public has a difficult time defining and distinquishing disabilities, handicapps, and appropriate types of assistance for each of the above. I always treat these occassions as an opportunity to educate.

Many Deaf people don't even consider themselves disabled. It is tough to be politically correct every time.

Sarah Bayle
AB/AD SD



Modified by sbayle at Thu, Jul 22, 2004, 21:28:48

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Re: why do people think I am deaf ??
Re: why do people think I am deaf ?? -- Snowie Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Jean A Ž
07/23/2004, 06:46:37
Hi Snowie,
I have this happen to me all the time. A very dear friend really thinks I'm deaf, the whole time she talks to me, she is yelling. I'd just like to yell back, "I'm not deaf, I just have a difficult time with my voice." People are funny!

Jean A




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It's different with AD
Re: why do people think I am deaf ?? -- Snowie Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Myrab Ž
07/23/2004, 14:01:10
When I'm in the breathy stage with little volume, sometimes people will whisper back, as if I had been telling a secret.

Myra AD, Texas



Modified by Myrab at Fri, Jul 23, 2004, 14:02:15

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Re: why do people think I am deaf ??
Re: why do people think I am deaf ?? -- Snowie Top of thread Archive
Posted by: arlene Ž
07/24/2004, 22:49:37
Hey Snowie,

I had the same thing happen to me at work. I had answered the phone and of course it was one of those bad voice days and this woman says to me Can you hear me and I said yes ma'm I can hear you very well. She said that since I couldnt talk she didnt think I could hear either. So then she wanted to talk to someone that could talk and if I was that sick I should be home in bed. Needless to say I would like to have reached through the phone.

Take care,

Arlene




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Re: why do people think I am deaf ??
Re: why do people think I am deaf ?? -- Snowie Top of thread Archive
Posted by: patty Ž
07/25/2004, 15:07:28
hey snowie, I totally understand your point.. People tend to be silly when they're just trying to be nice. The guy at the grocery store always yells at me and points to the fruits or whatever he's offering me, so that I understand what he's saying.. It is annoying, but generally the people who do that are those with less education: strong brain vs. weak brain.



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