At Baby Fingers, we’re in a no-judgment zone.
We believe in unconditional positive regard.
We also believe in information, education and choices.
We believe in accessibility.
We are not anti-technology; we are pro-language.
Regarding technology:
Not everyone needs technology. For those that may benefit from it, there are some options. Hearing Aids amplify sound; there are many different types of aids that are beneficial for varying levels of deafness. While everyone has their own unique experience and level of benefit with hearing aids, nearly anyone with hearing loss or deafness can be a candidate. 
The cost of hearing aids can range from around $1,000 to around $6,000 depending on the type/level of technology. This cost usually includes consultation, fittings, follow up adjustments, routine cleanings, warranties and sometimes replacement batteries. In some cases, there are opportunities to choose the color of ear molds to match one’s personality and wardrobe.
Bone conduction aids and implants have become another option for other types of deafness and involve vibrations sent from the skull bone to the inner ear. Cochlear Implants are not hearing aids – they don’t amplify sound. Instead, they send impulses directly to the auditory nerve, which carries sound signals to the brain. The cochlear implant includes the receiver-stimulator that is implanted through surgery (implant goes under the skin, electrodes go into the inner ear) and the processer which is worn behind the ear with a magnetic attachment that goes on the head (it uses electromagnetic induction). Without the processor on, the individual will not receive sound. 
The implant does not provide “normal” hearing but it can provide access to sound that is then interpreted by the brain over time. People with profound sensorineural deafness are historically best candidates for the implant – this loss typically involves damage to the tiny hair cells in the cochlea. Without those hair cells working, sound vibrations can’t be sent to the brain through the auditory nerve. The implant takes over that job – but if any of those hair cells are still intact and therefore any residual hearing remains, it will be lost in the implantation. The cost of cochlear implant surgery coupled with the necessary auditory training can range from $40,000 – $100,000. In recent years water resistant equipment has become available and some insurance companies have provided limited coverage. There are also many different accessories for the cochlear implants to match hair color, to hold them in place for active kids or to reflect one’s personal style.
Regarding language:
Everyone needs language. With language comes culture. Typically, lower case deaf refers to a medical condition, and upper case Deaf refers to cultural deafness regardless of severity. There is a rich culture in the Deaf community and there is a strong sense of pride. Using technology does not have to take away from inclusion in this community or connection with the culture, but it’s the use of a common language that in large part defines it. Some researchers say that language is an intrinsic expression of one’s culture and plays a crucial role in personal identity. Dr. Barbara Kannapel, a Deaf sociolinguist, defines American Deaf culture in a way that includes a set of learned behaviors of a group of people who are deaf and who have their own language (ASL), values, rules, and traditions. There are specific ways to get someone’s attention, how to know when it’s someone else’s turn in a conversation or discussion; eye contact is essential and there’s tremendous support for bilingualism (ASL/English).
Education for d/Deaf children does not always look the same. There are auditory-oral programs, bilingual-bicultural programs…some Deaf students are mainstreamed into general education settings with interpreters or in self-contained settings with varying levels or amounts of ASL used in instruction. Regardless of setting or philosophy, all children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential, which requires maximizing their language and communication skills and providing accessible instruction which may include sign and speech. Deaf students whose 
families are originally from another country deserve the right to learn their family’s native language in addition to the sign language used in that country’s Deaf community. There is a misconception that deaf students who don’t use technology supporting hearing and speech will not learn to read and will not achieve expected milestones in school. It’s a misconception. It’s a myth. There is research that proves otherwise. There are also college and university programs that cater to the academic and career success for Deaf students. In my professional and personal life, I know many Deaf adults who have used varied technology and none at all, grew up in signing homes and ASL based schools for Deaf children, earned college degrees, master’s degrees and PhDs in their fields, are independent, excellent parents, have thriving careers and fulfilling lives. They don’t identify as disabled – they identify as Deaf.
Years ago, while I was in graduate school for Deaf Education, I was the music therapist at a therapeutic nursery school. One of our classes included hearing children of Deaf, signing parents; ASL was the first language for these kids and they were all bilingual. Also in the class were deaf children of hearing parents who didn’t happen to sign, and these 3 year olds had little to no language when they started school. One had a bone conductor, two had hearing aids, the others were unaided in any way. 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents who are often told by audiologists and doctors not to use sign language saying it will delay their speech and language, that the cochlear implant is a cure and a promise for easier communication. It’s not a cure. And sign language supports language development. It’s important that these medical professionals provide education and choices so that hearing parents are not afraid to give their deaf children every opportunity for success. Each individual implanted has a different experience. For some, the extensive speech therapy that goes along with it is successful. For others, it’s painful and exhausting and unsuccessful. The technology itself can cause physical and physiological challenges as well. For many, the combination of the technology and sign language is what is best. I know people in all three categories. I also know people who have had hearing aids and speech therapy and when they finally learned sign language in high school or college they felt free, they discovered their identity as a Deaf person. And I worked with students who were the only ones in their families who signed – they attended a residential school for the Deaf and were faced with communication challenges during weekends at home.
But many hearing parents of deaf children do learn to sign; may find Deaf mentors, ASL programs, school based 
services and more. Here in NYC, we’re honored at Baby Fingers to be a resource, and often the first stop for hearing parents of deaf children. We provide initial access to sign language, Deaf mentors, and additional resources so families with deaf children can get the education they need to provide accessible language and to make informed choices. And yes, we also teach hearing children sign language. We don’t actually call it “baby sign language” because that’s not a language…we offer exposure to ASL. Babies and toddlers initially approximate signs as they do speech. There’s a critical period for language development and it really needs to be accessible from day one. It can be, with sign language. There’s no downside to learning it. Technology or not, sound does not guarantee language, and speech is a completely separate entity. That’s another discussion altogether.
This topic is too big for one blog post, and I don’t want to spark controversy anyway. Perhaps I already have… but my goal here is to provide information and to explain our mission. We teach sign language, so clearly we believe strongly in its benefit for anyone and its necessity for young Deaf children. We connect hearing and Deaf families. We welcome everyone who is interested in learning and joining our supportive, open-minded community. Read more about our mission and philosophy, our back story and our classes on line here. Share in our excitement about ‘first signs’ here.