How much hearing loss is needed to be labeled as deaf?
michaeliskaixiang asked:
Can it just be in one ear or does it need to be both ears?
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Can it just be in one ear or does it need to be both ears?
March 16th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
I am deaf. And my both ears are deaf.
But if hearing person has one deaf ear is half deaf and hearing; but will not be as good hear as others.
March 19th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Can you hear this message? HOW ABOUT NOW?
March 19th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Being hard of hearing is in itself a label for one’s hearing loss.
The term ‘deaf’ is usually reserved for those within the severe or profound bilateral hearing loss.
The only exception where a person can be deaf but not medically severely/profoundly hard of hearing is when titled as deafblind- deafblindness is in itself a unique syndrome where one sense cannot accommodate for the other, so we can label someone who is legally blind and mildly hard of hearing (but not culturally Deaf) as deaf in this circumstance.
That said, the term ‘Deaf’ (as in culturally Deaf) can apply to those with perfect hearing, mildly hard of hearing, or completely deaf (from a medical standpoint)- there is no ‘cut off’ or restriction.
So to sum it up, assuming you have normal vision, if you are a signing Deaf person you can label yourself as Deaf, but from a medical standpoint, if your other ear is not affected, you aren’t deaf.
March 21st, 2009 at 2:56 pm
deaf means completely. So someone can be deaf in one ear and not in the other, but if there are varying degreees of hearing loss, they are just hearing impared do whatever percentage
March 21st, 2009 at 4:11 pm
You can be considered “Deaf”, when you don’t hear.
“hard of hearing” is when you have a hard time hearing things, and often need assistance.
However, for legal purposes, “deaf” is when you can no longer function without help of some sort.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:53 am
The amount of hearing you have lost can be quantified. In the US it is a specific quantity of loss that kicks in benefits. Different benefits require different degrees of deafness.
Depending on the nature of your deafness - deafness in one ear can be enough, but that is very uncommon. Ménière’s Disease is one cause of deafness where if only one ear is affected it would be enough.
In the UK ( as well as in the US to a degree) it is not how deaf you are, but how much your deafness requires you to be assisted in the tasks of daily living.
March 26th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
MY WIFE HAS HALF EARDRUM ON BOTH EARS AND 1/4TH OF HER HEARING BONES GONE IN BOTH EARS AND THE LAW SAYS SHE IS NOT DEAF BUT THE DOCTORS SAY SHE IS
March 29th, 2009 at 8:32 am
One ear, or both ears.
It could be mild, moderate to profound.
If your needed an hearing aid, it’s classed as a disability. But even without them, your still classed as disabled.