You wouldn’t normally think that a hearing impaired individual would get into trouble talking in class, but one teenage boy would beg to differ. Adam, who is 15, received his Cochlear implant at the age of 2 after a bout with meningitis resulting in his being diagnosed deaf. Adam doesn’t feel that his implant prevents him from being just another kid. He enjoys talking on his cell phone and says that no one at school makes fun of him and he feels very much a part of his school.
When Mardie’s mother was diagnosed with Rubella while she was pregnant, it resulted in her being born with a major hearing impairment. Although she could not hear, her parents insisted upon treating her normally and using oral language to teach her rather than sign. Growing up in the 1940s, there were no special education options available for a hearing impaired individual. Mardie attended regular public schools and learned the art of lip reading. She even went on to receive a college degree in English.
Before 2007, ask a woman “Who is Jenny McCarthy?” and she may not have been able to tell you. If you would ask a man, you could have gotten an answer of former Playboy Playmate, former host of MTV shows and guest appearances on a variety of shows. Jenny was not known for her “smarts”, but instead her physical attributes.