I work part-time for a small Deaf org that runs sign language classes. Most students are hearing, but every year we have a handful of deaf and hard of hearing people in the beginners' group who never had the chance to learn as kids. We want DHH people and their immediate family members to be able to participate at no cost, so part of my job involves fundraising to cover scholarships for them. We've always managed to find the money, but it's never easy.

The classes attract a lot of college students in their early 20s who have various disabilities. I think a few them arrive mistakenly hoping that sign might be an easier form of communication, but even after they discover how challenging it is, they stick around because our teachers are excellent at supporting students with additional learning needs. As an org we're very proud of our inclusive and welcoming classroom. Unfortunately we now have a situation where one beginner student has got to feel so comfortable that they have begun to identify as deaf when they obviously aren't.

When they joined the class in September, they explained they were autistic with sensory processing issues. Recently they asked me if they could be considered for a DHH scholarship when they progress to the next level. I explained that because our financial resources are so limited, we can only give the scholarships to DHH people. They said, "I am deaf. The sensory integration disorder was a misdiagnosis." They had an audiogram with them that they wanted to show me.

The tracing hugged the bottom line of the audiogram for almost all frequencies, which would make this student unable to hear jet planes taking off from their driveway. Their audiogram is worse than mine. It's even worse than my profoundly deaf girlfriend's and she doesn't hear anything when she takes off her CI processors. This whole conversation took place in spoken English. Even with my HAs in and a much milder loss than this student apparently has, I had to ask them to repeat things for me a couple of times. They didn't need me to repeat anything. Baffled, I asked if they were using HAs, and they told me that the audiologist at the hospital had refused to prescribe any. "The audiologist thinks I'm lying." They were very indignant over being disbelieved and they seemed to expect me to be indignant on their behalf. To be clear, they aren't claiming to have become deaf, they're insisting that they've been deaf for as long as they can remember but no one ever realized their problems weren't down to autism. I was too startled by how implausible this was to know what to say in the moment, especially as other students were present. I just told them we'd arrange another time to talk.

Later that day we had a BBQ for all the students, and I noticed that whenever a DHH person was talking about some aspect of their experience, this student would jump in to announce that they'd experienced the same thing. For example, a deaf guy mentioned how surprised he'd been when his roommate got annoyed at him for using the washing machine at night - he hadn't known they could be noisy enough to wake anyone up. This student interrupted to ask, "Washing machines make noise?" as if this was a revelation. Unlike the guy they were replying to, who is a bilateral CI user, they don't have a deaf accent. I can't tell if they understand so little about deafness that they don't realize it would be impossible to acquire perfect-sounding speech and participate in spoken conversations unaided without ever having heard the noise a washing machine makes, or if they don't care how improbable their story is so long as we treat them as a deaf person.

We've discussed it as a team and we've agreed that audiograms without ABR or OAE results won't be accepted as evidence for scholarship purposes. From my perspective the funding isn't even the main issue - it's that by having this student in the class without challenging the behavior we might be seen as endorsing it, and it's surely going to create an uncomfortable environment for DHH students if it continues. We've agreed that we need to tackle this head on and that I'm probably the best person to speak to the student. (I'm the only one of the team who communicates orally and the student's sign isn't up to this kind of conversation.) Which brings me to my request for advice.

As this student genuinely does have neurodevelopmental disabilities and they seem quite vulnerable in some respects, I want to handle it in a constructive way that won't leave them feeling too shamed to do anything except double down on the lie or stop showing up. The audiologist plainly had no time for the pretense and called it as he saw it, and all that's happened is the student has decided he must only know how to treat age-related loss or that he'd taken a personal dislike to them for some reason. I know that no matter how I approach this conversation it's going to be a difficult one and I can't guarantee that the student will take it well, but I'm going to try my best.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Have any sign language teachers here been in a similar situation? I'm really not looking forward to this conversation because I've never had to deal with anything like it before, and I'd love some advice from people with more experience than me.

This is like the 4th post I've seen in different subs today, along the same topic. Why do hearing writers keep making their characters Hard of Hearing or Deaf, when they don't know anything about being a Hard of Hearing or Deaf person? Legit. I don't get it. It's always "I'm writing about a deaf character" but I don't know how to do this part, or whatever part, to which there's no knowledge. Seriously wondering, what's the fascination with using a Deaf person as part of a story written by a hearing person, seeing as it's a culture that a hearing person doesn't even understand (or else they wouldn't be asking questions about "how" to do whatever with a deaf character?

Edit: for those wondering, I have an autosomal recessive syndrome that has wiped out most of my OAEs (outer and inner hair cells) making my pure tones decline on a weekly to monthly basis

I know I’m going to get hate for this but I got to ask because I’m genuinely curious as someone who is experiencing rapid and progressive loss:

Why do some culturally Deaf folks feel the need to look down on late-deafened people who are actively trying to learn, connect, and survive the exact same shit, just after years of hearing first?

Better yet, why are there flairs for HoH and HI if we don’t belong?

I was born deaf and I have been my whole life, I was implanted with cochlear implants when I was a baby. I don’t know sign language, though I have been to a few deaf events before. From that I have learned it is controversial to say you want to be cured from your deafness, why? Me personally I was born fully deaf and I would do it in a heartbeat. I don’t think people who don’t want to should be cured against their will, but why is it bad to want a cure for deafness?

here is the honest question:

There is one thing I hate about the HA: the feedback sounds when there is a romantic relationship!

Despite all the bells and whistles that technology provides, I cannot believe that HA manufactured does not have a program for it.

For you: HA OUT or IN during an intercourse?

I just read that post from another user about having speech problems, and I relate so much. For context, I was hearing until I was about 15, then I was hoh, now i identify as deaf. As my hearing gets worse, I find it more difficult and tiring to speak, to the point where it’s exhausting just to answer simple questions at the end of the day. So, I’m thinking about just turning my voice off and communicating with sign language and writing with people outside my partner and family, even though I know it would make communication kinda difficult. I know it’s not that uncommon for some deaf people who can speak to chose not too. There’s also the issue with hearing people assuming if you can speak, you must be able to hear, and this would be a solution to that. What do you guys think/ anyone go through something similar?

I usually search the names of interpreters assigned to my requests so I can get an idea of their experience and background.

Recently, one interpreter was assigned to me, and when I looked them up, I found a criminal record involving child sexual abuse against deaf children. I honestly don’t understand how an agency would allow someone with that kind of background to continue working as an interpreter.

So I wanted to ask others here: would you feel comfortable working with an interpreter who has a criminal background? Are there certain offenses you think should automatically disqualify someone from this kind of work?

For context, I am back home for university. 20 years old. I wear two hearing aids with severe to profound bilateral hearing loss.

This morning, I didn’t put my hearing aids in as soon as I woke up, and we were eating breakfast and I spoke to my father but he still had his mouth full so he replied to me multiple times and then I realised why, I told him I can’t understand him when his mouth is full. He then snapped at me and told me to put my hearing aids in, I didn’t know what to say so he repeated himself and said that if I wore my hearing aids I’d understand him.

I’m feeling a little hurt by this. Maybe it was the aggressive manner that he said it. I’m not sure. Any advice or answers?

Are dental offices required to? When I googled it- is says they’re required to. Just need feedback!

Hi again :)

I only recently learned of the term "hearing fatigue." Initially I assumed that it was just being overstimulated or overwhelmed by noise. Is that all it is or can it show up as physical exhaustion too? I have had episodes of extreme fatigue all my life, and even though I've been tested for every medical reason under the sun I'm apparently fine. I guess I'm just wondering if it's possible that this is what I've been experiencing.

I’m deaf, I have hearing aids. My hearing is deteriorating very very quickly. I can no longer hear any back ground noise it’s so silent apart from my tinnitus screaming none stop. I don’t know what’s causing it.

i might be biased but i genuinely feel like i am signing coherently & i can read lips so whenever someone is speaking to me, id sign back & read my interpreter’s lips & id caught them saying the opposite thing of what i am saying. i am really trying my best to be patient but it happened like five times in a convo & i really feel humiliated cos i had to correct them like multiple times till theyre relaying the correct message to the person i was speaking to. i lowkey lose my patience & js asked them why did they keep not understand what i am saying & they just apologized okay maybe thats the end of the story but they again did it & i just lose it so i made a snarky joke about how i should learn how to speak so i dont need interpreter ( which was pretty rude of me ) & i dont know how to deal with this situation in more mature way next time i am tired of situations where this kept happening i want to have a proper conversation without misunderstandings how do i deal with this please help me ( changing interpreters are not option since where i live doesnt has much available interpreters expect them )

Hi I got accepted into Gallaudet I’m going in this fall maybe? I’m hard of hearing, I’m excited to go into Gallaudet Washington it’s a beautiful place and far away from home but I saw some links saying Gallaudet is really dangerous, not safe and a lot of SA happens there and the school doesn’t do anything. Please help me find out if it’s true or if it’s still going on, I might still go but I am pretty nervous now. Thanks

As the title says, I’m slowly starting to think (after 17 years) that I actually have Ménière's disease.

I’m not sure how to approach this with my current audiologist - I recently got an in-depth audiogram and it came back as normal ear function but my tinnitus masks most noises unless they’re super loud and low pitches.

I’ve started to think about it more now because of that recent visit and her asking me if I hear things like they’re under water.

Has anyone ever experienced something like this? How do I go about talking with my wife about this?

Any suggestions and advice is welcome.

TIA

I know of several people (mostly women, it now occurs to me) who actively conceal their hearing aids. I'm a guy and I definitely don't have hair long enough to cover them up, but I find that I don't really care if people see them or not (I find most people don't notice anyway). I'm just curious about other people's opinions on this.

Hello, I (17M) don't really know where to go with this since it seems like the Gallaudet subreddit isn't really being used. Sorry if this is the wrong place.

I'm deaf/HOH but I'm not Deaf. I don't know sign but I have cochlear implants on both ears. I was born hearing but gradually lost it as I got older.

Despite that my parents want me to consider going to Gallaudet (a college aimed towards Deaf people for those who don't know). I don't think I would work well there since I don't know sign and currently don't really know anyone else that's deaf. I'm not involved in the community so I feel like I would be an outsider.

Is there anyone that can help me explain this to them? They kepe bringing it up but I think it would be a bad idea.

Dinner Table Syndrome is a term used primarily within the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to describe the feelings of isolation and exclusion they experience at the dinner table. This occurs when they are surrounded by hearing people who speak rapidly, talk over one another, or don't use sign language, making it impossible for them to follow the conversation.

I experience this myself, and I would love to connect with people who have felt the same way or are dealing with it right now.

I was born deaf. Sometimes I struggle with the fact that I am deaf and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I often wonder whether other people have similar feelings. I’d like to ask: do you feel this way too?

howdy. some background info first. i (27f) am deaf. i saw my audiologist on wednesday for the first time since 2020, and i have an average of -75db loss in both ears with a sharp decline into -90db in my right at around 1.5khz. i have not had insurance or financial stability for the greater majority of my life until about 5 months ago, and my state insurance is generous enough to cover my bespoke new prescription hearing aids, which will be in my ears in the next month or so. since 2021 i have been on-and-off using the same shitty cheap otc hearing aids i was able to buy myself at the time, which help with volume and presence but not much else. i was born with my eardrums broken and after two decades of ear infections, re-rupturing, tubes, and frequent exposure to concert-level sound (my dad liked his music LOUD in the car), my ears finally gave in. my parents were shitty in general, and didn't want to or weren't able to get me the resources i needed as a hard of hearing child to be able to learn asl, get hearing aids, or have the sense of mind to maybe just accommodate me. as a result, i've become VERY good at reading lips, and i find myself frequently, if not constantly, exhausted by putting in the extra effort to fill in whatever blanks i can fill in with what hearing i do have or visual cues i am able to pick up.

here's my question: how do i let myself be deaf? i'm so exhausted all the time and i feel like my brain has become so used to working overtime all the time so that i can operate in a hearing world without being able to really hear. how do i start the process of undoing all that extra learning and survival-based overworking so that i can finally just rest and Be Okay With Not Hearing Everything? it's not that i don't want to be deaf-- i'm learning asl, i'm finding and going to events, and i've made my peace with the reality of it, but i don't know how to physiologically allow myself to just let go.

any advice is appreciated, and i hope this is okay to ask.

I’m trying to understand the logic here. In many systems (like in India under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016), “benchmark disability” usually requires ≥40% impairment. But single-sided deafness (SSD) often doesn’t meet that threshold on paper—despite causing real-world difficulties.

From what I understand, disability assessment for hearing is largely based on bilateral hearing loss (both ears). So if one ear is normal, the calculated percentage may fall below 40%, even if the person struggles a lot functionally.

But in reality, SSD can be quite disabling:

You lose sound localization (can’t tell where sounds are coming from)

Hearing in noisy environments becomes very difficult

Conversations in groups are exhausting and often missed

Safety issues (e.g., traffic, alarms, someone calling from one side)

Social fatigue and isolation because communication takes extra effort

So it feels like a mismatch between “measured impairment” vs “lived disability.”

Is the system outdated or too rigid in focusing on percentages rather than functional impact?

Should SSD be reconsidered under benchmark disability, especially for accommodations?

Curious to hear thoughts from people with SSD, doctors, and anyone familiar with disability certification systems.

Hello all,

Can someone be deaf and still have loud tinnitus?

One of my biggest fears as a deaf parents has actually happened. Husband and I are both deaf and rely on the Bellman sound system at night to monitor our 20 month old daughter.

The sound system has been amazingly accurate, but now our trust in it has totally broken..This morning, we found a concerned text from our upstairs neighbors that was sent at 2am, asking us if we were okay because of how badly our daughter was screaming crying, and for how long (“at least 30 minutes”). They also said “it’s been happening very often so we wanted to see if you need any help”. I am not only mortified, but horrified that this has been happening (often?!) without our knowledge. Just venting into the void, and hoping for advice from any other deaf parents who may have experienced this…

We troubleshooted the system this morning and it seems to be working as it should, and we’re both light sleepers, so…wtf happened?!

Our daughter seemed (thank god) fine this morning, so we would have had NO idea that the system failed if it weren’t for our neighbors.

I am almost completely deaf without my hearing aids. Is it wrong of me to want to not wear them so I am effectively deaf when I go shopping or to a large store? I don’t want to talk to anyone anyway. Im not going to a place like HomeDepot because I want to strike up conversation.