Hello everyone and welcome back to my channel.
This is my very first video of 2017.
I'm here with my lovely mum.
What's your name?
My name is Mel, Jasmine's mum.
This is my very first video with my mum.
No.. we did a Christmas video (Putting The Christmas Tree Up).
J: Oh yeah! But this video is going to be just us, not with Lily.
M: But I was a bit hiding because I don't really want to be in camera.
J: She's a camera shy.
Today we're chatting about my life
when I was born deaf and the life after.
We're going to chat about me!
We're always chatting about you Jasmine.
Yeah!
I'm going to interview asking her questions
about what has happened to me after I was born,
how did my parents feel about finding out that I'm deaf etc.
Quite lots of questions to ask.
So, are you ready?
I'm ready.
What has happened to me after I was born?
Today..
When babies are born within a few days,
they have a hearing test.
When you was born in 17 years ago...
J: 1999.
Yep, erm..
They didn't do hearing tests until baby's were 8 months old.
Nowadays, babies are having hearing tests just after they born.
In my time, there was no hearing test until you were a bit older.
We went for your 8 months hearing test,
the lady sat behind you making all the different noises
like bell and drum noises.
The lady made the noises really loud but
Jasmine never responded to these noises.
I never cried much, when I was a baby only sleeping or something, wasn't I?
No, you only really cried when you wanted feeding or changing.
But you was a really happy, contented baby.
I never had a problem with you.
How old was I when you first found out that I'm deaf?
Well, you failed your 8 month hearing test.
We went back again when you was 9 months old
and you have failed it again.
And then me and your dad was concerned
that you might have problems.
At home..
One day when you was sitting on the floor busy doing something,
I got two saucepans and crept in behind you, bashed them together
Together: And I never responded.
I was thinking hm, there is a problem.
So, after that..
We've booked to see a consultant
at a hospital in London.
When you was 10 months old, that when we've found out
that you're profoundly deaf.
So, how did you feel when you first found out that I'm deaf?
Well.. Erm..
I was very shocked,
confused and a bit scared/nervous
because we didn't know how life would turn out for you.
We obviously couldn't communicate with you.
Did you cry or?
Yeah, I think I did because I was so upset.
Because like I said, I didn't know what this meant.
I was upset for you because I thought you were missing out on something
we all take for a granted.
What I felt most upset about
and that you didn't know what I was saying to you.
Had you met deaf people before me?
No, I've never met a deaf person before you.
Only you, you were the first person I knew who was deaf.
This is why you was really shocked.
Yeah, I was shocked and worried even more,
I thought how would I communicate with you.
It was such a hard time.
Also, I was more worried because
the hospital have said, sometimes deafness has other problems with it
so they had to test your eyes, heart, kidneys etc.
There were a lot of blood test to check if there was
anything wrong with you.
This was very worrying time.
What happened to me after finding out that I'm deaf?
Well.. they sent you to Great Ormond Street Hospital
up London.
And there was lots more tests.
Like I said, different tests on your body
to see if you were ok.
Then it all whirled into action.
Lots of people, came to the house to help, teacher of the deaf,
The sign language teacher came to teach us baby signs.
How old was I when you first learn sign language?
You were about one year old, I think.
Oh yeah, there was a few days before your 1st birthday,
you had your first hearing aids.
You were tiny and hearing aids was massive, they kept falling off.
You didn't like them, you kept throwing them away.
You did that everyday.
Did I like my hearing aids?
No, you hated wearing your hearing aids.
I remember when I was little, the hearing aids made
whistle noises, I didn't like it so I threw them away.
How many time did you put hearing aids back on me?
Sometimes, 50 times a day.
I was putting them back on, then you took them out, repeatedly.
I was really bad with hearing aids.
Sign language was fantastic within 6 weeks
of starting sign with you.
I think your first signs was more, biscuits and chocolates.
All the staff was amazed because you was only 14 months old
and already knew how to sign a few words.
They were shocked because usually it takes much longer.
The lady came to my house for about 6 months
she taught me all the baby signs, things you really needed to know.
She was helping us to communicate.
And when you was about 2 years old,
I went to BSL Level 1 class
learning sign language, after that I did BSL Level 2.
I've always wanted to be ahead of you with sign language
because I had to teach you.
Do you think it is important for parents to learn sign language
for their deaf child.
I think it's something you really have to do,
you don't really have a choice if you can't communicate with your deaf child.
There is a problem, you'll have problems in the future.
There are lots of parents that never learnt sign for their deaf child.
Deaf child will feel left out.
Yeah, definitely.
And unconfident.
Parents learning sign language for their deaf child
is really important.
This is the most important thing in the world.
To make the deaf child feel confident and to make
feel like they're part of the family.
They shouldn't be made to feel left out.
It's really important for parents to learn sign just like
my mum, my dad and all my family learnt sign for me.
I feel like I'm part of this family, we all have a strong relationship.
It also will help deaf children, if they can't communicate
like telling their parents that they need/want,
the child would feel frustrated.
They possibly would have an anger problem.
Then that has a knock-on effect with school,
their confidence
and relationships with other children, the whole thing.
You just can't have two children, one deaf and one hearing
and only be able to communicate with the hearing one.
What does that say to the deaf one!!!! that they are not important!!!!
You see what I mean.
So, what has happened to my life after?
Your life went a different route to Holly.
Just letting you know, Holly is my sister.
You two are similar as you two went the same primary school
because we chose this school for you, the one with deaf unit.
My primary school is mainstream so, me and my sister can go to the same school.
I did fine in mainstream schools.
I feel like it's quite hard for you because
you're in the school full of hearing children,
there were only few of deaf children.
Life was difficult for you
like going to a lot of hearing aids and cochlear implant appointments at the hospital
to visit.
Having your new ear moulds made every 8 weeks etc.
You also had speech and language therapy.
When you was about 4 years old, we thought about
getting you a cochlear implant.
I refused to get one because I don't want them, I don't know why.
When I was about 8 years old, I changed my mind
and I've asked my parents that I wanted a cochlear implant.
They asked me why I changed my mind
and I told them that I wanted to hear as I heard absolutely nothing with my hearing aids.
Hearing aids didn't help me
and I want to hear something.
When I was 8, we all agreed to get me a cochlear implant.
Do you think cochlear implant helps?
I think it does help you because you can hear
more background noises.
Obviously outside, you can hear more environment sounds.
And I think it helps you with lip-reading.
I can lip-read really good
but I don't speak well because I never wear my cochlear implant that much, oops.
Yeah, you don't wear your cochlear implant.
I'm used to quiet because i'm born deaf
sometimes when I have my cochlear implant on, I'm like err.
Like you're used to hearing everything,
try to imagine one day without hearing anything.
Would you like that?
I'm sure you would rather be hearing as you were born hearing.
I was born deaf, not hearing anything.
This is why I prefer to take my cochlear implant off.
I don't regret having a cochlear implant.
because I'm happy to hear more as I like to hear sometimes.
I think nowadays, it's better for deaf children having an implant
because they know much more about cochlear implants.
I know if you have a cochlear implant before 2 or 3,
it's better and more benefits.
The time when I was thinking about a cochlear implant for Jasmine
probably when she was 3, it was a big operation
so there are more risks.
There were lots of things that we thought about
like was it a good idea or..
We just thought it wasn't the right time for Jasmine.
Lots of deaf children have cochlear implants nowadays.
17 years ago, probably about half of all deaf children had cochlear implants.
And you were so fantastic with sign language.
Do you think my deaf life is positive or?
I feel that your life is obviously more of a challenge
like your deafness
But you have a fantastic group of deaf friends
and you've been supported by college and schools.
Life will always be more difficult for you in terms of jobs
and the future.
Because so many people can't sign,
I think people get worried about communicating with deaf people
as they probably get nervous.
Maybe..
I think hearing people try to avoid communicating with deaf people
because they don't know how to do it.
They probably don't want to look rude or stupid
so they just avoid it.
Thank you for talking about this, it was really interesting.
I want to say thank you to my mum for joining me in this video
discussing my deaf life.
Thank you mum!
You're very welcome my Jazzy.
I really hope you enjoy this video.
Give this video thumbs up if you find this video interesting.
Don't forget to subscribe!
I've finally achieved 900 subscribers on my YouTube Channel
and I'm so happy about it.
Let's try make 1,000!
Yeah, let's try make 1,000 subscribers!
I hope you have a lovely day.
Byeeeee!
Mwah!
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