Number One Birth Defect in America

I went to a workshop recently about working with deaf and hard of hearing children. It was an awesome workshop and I learned a lot. However, I was startled by something I read during a slide show presentation. In giant words across a screen, it read:

"Hearing loss is the number one birth defect in America."

Birth defect?!

I have to admit, it kind of stung. I don't know why the word birth defect affected me so. Maybe because I have never seen anyone use this term to describe someone with a hearing loss before. Perhaps it was because I was the only one in the workshop possibly born with this defect. Maybe it was seeing it in giant bold letters screaming at me. I suddenly felt the need to hide my hearing aid. I think I blushed a little.

I am fine with the terms disability and impairment. I don't use the term hearing impaired because I feel it is outdated, like using the word negro to describe a person of African descent. However, I do not get offended by others who use it and I could really care less if they use it.

But, apparently I do not like the word defect. For some reason, the word defect reminds me of grossly exaggerated 'mutants' or 'freaks' that you see in horror movies. But really, defect means a fault, a short coming, or an imperfection. And it is true, you could say that someone born with a hearing loss or some sensory deprivation is born with a defect. They are not perfect or typical, meaning they do not have 100% hearing. So defect is an appropriate term. But, I just did not like it for some reason.

I know that in recent posts I argued that one should use any term to describe oneself or others who have hearing losses or are deaf. One should be able to use terms such as hearing impaired, deafness, deaf, Deaf, hard of hearing, hearing loss, disability, sensory loss, etc. But, be mindful of how you use these terms and who you use them with. If the person is offended by the term hearing impaired, use another term. It couldn't hurt to be a little more sensitive to other people's feelings. If you like to use the term birth defect and don't see it as a problem, fine. But, don't use it with me (that is after I tell you that I am offended by that term).

I don't know why this particular word irks me. It just does.

I suppose I can understand why some people may be offended by certain terms used to describe them, such as hearing impaired and disabled. Everyone will react differently to certain words for different reasons, I suppose.

BUT, it does not mean that if you encounter someone using a term you don't like, you can attack them or yell at them in anger or accuse them of being mean and insensitive without giving them good reasons why. Unless the person continues to use the term with you or directly at you after you told them that you don't like the term or that the term hurts your feelings.

The medical and professional community can sometimes be impersonal with all of the medical terms and jargon they use. With words like defect, impairment, diagnosis, exams, audiological, and disease, it is hard to want to form a close and warm relationship with anyone repeatedly using these terms to describe you or whatever "defect" afflicts you.

But, the medical aspect is necessary. I need my hearing evaluated and explained by an audiologist to better understand my hearing loss. But, it is always nice when the doctor or audiologist talks with me and asks questions about me and not just talk about my hearing loss. Doctors, ask how I am doing or how I feel. I don't expect to have long in depth conversations. Just make my visit with you more personable, please. It would be nice if you could tell me about support groups or communities I can join or learn about such as HLAA, DeafRead, ALDA, and such. It is always better to talk about these things with people who are experiencing the same things you are. People with typical hearing will never understand. They can do all the research in the world and work with deaf and hard of hearing people for several years, but they will never fully understand.

So, a term struck a nerve in me. It surprises me that I was offended by it. But, I now somewhat understand where others are coming from when they tell me that they don't like it when I use certain terms such as deafness. But, I am still going to use this term in my blog, unless I am directly talking with someone who hates the term.

(e