My experience with a deaf family member

My niece, Nycheala, is deaf and has Down Syndrome.  She's not really my niece (through blood), but my heart she is my niece as far as everyone knows.  Before my parents gained custody of her and her five siblings, she lived with her single mother and five siblings.  Her mom found out she was deaf and the only thing she tried was "self-help."  In other words, learning from internet websites and books.  She didn't learn much of anything, just signs like 'eat' and 'bath.'  When Nycheala was about 5 years old, social services removed her and her siblings from the home due to neglect (That's another story I don't want to revisit).  She didn't understand what was going on and to make matters worse she was placed in foster care separated from her siblings.  Two years later after a long fight, my parents got permanent custody of all of them.  The household went from five people (my older siblings had moved out) to eleven.  I was in 5th or 6th grade when everything was finalized.  It became my parents responsibility to take on everything all the children needed including the only deaf child, Nycheala.  I can't imagine how difficult it was for her starting out.  Where we live there is a mainstream school with a class specifically for deaf children.  That's where my parents decided she would go for the time being.  With a big family and my dad the sole provider there was and still is a lack of funds to move anywhere. For me, it was an experience.  She would come home signing and all I knew were my ABCs.  My parents decided we would all attend these classes at Nycheala's school that were for people with deaf family members.  That's how I got started learning ASL.  Anyway, Nycheala struggled in school mainly because of her Down Syndrome, but also because of the neglect from her mother.  When she attended school, her knowledge grew and grew.  My parents found a therapist that could sign and that really helped, but we had to meet in Louisville.  That eventually moved slightly closer to Elizabethtown.  My parents tried to gain as much insight to what would be best for Nycheala.  They talked to her teachers, doctors, audiologists, went to meetings with Deaf and hearing people alike, etc.  Doctors wanted to give her a cochlear implant. My mom said no way because she personally didn't like the idea of them messing with her head and because she wanted to let Nycheala make the decision.  We started with hearing aids of different kinds until her hearing was completely gone. 

I really enjoyed hearing everyone's stories tonight.  I know my mom wants to do even better for Nycheala, but I like knowing that she's not alone.  My mom had no previous exposure until Nycheala and now she's one of many awesome kids to happen to my family.