deaf child who does not sign but speaks- support?

[evilstepmom]

my custodial stepson (6 yrs old)is severely deaf and wears digital hearing aids. he goes to a mainstream school and has a full time TA and one afternoon a week with a teacher of the deaf.
it would be really nice if he could meet/socialise with some other deaf kids but after finding a local "event" (not easy mind you!) we did not really enjoy the experience (a theatre trip)as it was very sign language orientated.
my stepson does not sign and never has done.he relies soley on what he can hear (not a lot!) and lip reading.his own speech is intelligible even to those who do not know him.
I have absolutely nothing against sign language (if he was my birth son i would probably have encouraged both speech and signing from the start) but it seems v difficult to find any social/support groups at all, never mind any that dont seem to be totally sign orientated.neither his teacher of the deaf or the hospital are v helpful and i am fed up of contacting the NDCS as they never ring me back!

sorry for rant but this is so frustrating...

Is his mother anti him learning sign? If not I would try and look into it tbh. The deaf community has a very strong culture but it is very sign orientated. I'm a great believer in the best form of support coming from those in the same situation (so for him - other deaf people- but he may need to learn sign to access it).

\link{http://www.rsd-exeter.ac.uk/\this may be nowhere near you}, but they do have a very good reputation and they will be understanding of the issues. Might be worth contacting them for some advice.

My son is deaf and has been able to sign from an early age, mainly self taught. He does rely alot on his hearing though as he does not really any other deaf children/people so his sign is not that much use to him.

This is good site for him to look at

www.learnbsl.org/

They also have 2 or 3 CD roms your can order free that are really good.

Might get him a taste for sign.

i am deaf adn had been brought up in a hearing world (Same as your stepson).... im now 31 and only started to sign 3 yrs ago and im also teaching my hearing DD to sign too

im not really bothered about being in a deaf world as i see hearing and deaf world as the same! so it whats your SD wants if he like to sign or not

oh my right ear is severe and my left is profoundly.

biglips - ur perspective really helpful thanks! guess am just worried about him being isolated from his hearing/deaf peers but also dont know if i am worrying about nothing due to lack of info (though not for want of trying!). he's not interested in signing at all (calls the signer on CBBC channel "that stupid lady who waves her hands!")even though he knows what sign language is. it is me with the issues rather than him! any other experiences/info you could share would be great :)

Hi I don't know where you are based but I am running a music group for deaf early years children at E2 8LR. There is a free workshop saturday 21st Jan where you can meet other parents in a similar situation. The workshop will be signed as well as spoken as I do like to encourage the use of signing but it is not compulsory for children to use it in class.

Many deaf kids don't sign, particularly now cochlear implants are an option for many severely and profoundly deaf children and the introduction of early diagnosis for many through the newborn screening. Increasingly deaf kids are auditory oral / verbal so aren't so sign focused, so I shouldn't worry. We joined CICS which as a result of the commitment to the surgery tends to be orally focused. My dd is profoundly deaf and the only sign she knows is fat ( family joke). Everyone in her friends and family just talks to her.