When a blind man cries
Lord, you know
He feels it from his soul…
Is the lyrics of a famous Deep Purple song…touches your heart!
As an Otologist though
When a deaf mute wants to cry…
He or she does not even know how…
And that I feel is more sad…
Specially when you know that most deafness can be treated if detected early and acted upon as soon as possible…
In many cases though parents feel that he or she will start listening or speaking the next month. That gut feeling that every mother and nowadays many father feel that his or her child should have spoke by now or at least turned to him or her by now!
Initially he or she will be proud that the child does not react even when there is a loud noise or thunder! The mother would get scared and jump while the child would not react! The father or some relative may think that his child is a boy! So strong and fearless! But the primary caregiver knows that something is not right!
Now who would bell the cat? Even when they come to us in the initial stages and we deliver the news that he or she cannot hear properly (Even that news is a big shock!); it takes some time to get used to…The stages of acceptance is the final stage in any grief including this one…
In fact many may repeat the tests; many may optimistically think that maybe he or she has some cold or fluid in the ear! Or maybe he or she has lots of wax! Of some parent would have done some research and think it may be a simple case of tongue tie which is why he or she is not speaking! Many cases do turn out to be the above though! But the story of removing a big chunk of wax to return or give the sense of hearing is not that common! More often than not, if you suspect the child cannot hear then he or she probably cannot.
The issue here is not only that he or she cannot hear; if he or she cannot get a stimulus then how would he respond? Which is why kids who cannot hear cannot speak!
And to think that in most cases both could have been treated! They could have had normal schooling! They would enjoy the music and they would hear the praise! The hearing aid or the cochlear implant gives them normalcy! Makes them a part of the sound of the world!
Some satisfaction though that they may not hear you scream or shout at them but then again when one sense is limited; others will compensate or exaggerate! They may not hear your abuse but believe me, they do feel the pain…
Just that they do not know how to cry…
Spare a thought for them and for those who sacrificed their lives for us! Like Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, PVC!
Shubh ratri…
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