Deaf Like Me

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes ableist language and references to anti-d/Deaf bias. 

Auditory training is one of the strategies that the John Tracy Clinic and other oralist organizations recommend to the Spradleys. Initially, Tom and Louise receive a microphone, amplifier, and set of headphones to make it easier for Lynn to hear some sounds. The point of auditory training is to help the brain recognize sounds and gradually learn to parse the auditory environment. In theory, auditory training is meant to make it easier for Lynn to lip read and to learn to speak. In practice, it makes little difference for Lynn. Auditory training is still used today as a form of hearing loss rehabilitation. There is some evidence that auditory training exercises can be helpful for those who have recently started using hearing aids or cochlear implants, but the practice is not equally helpful for everyone. Those who lose their hearing later in life and those who have mild or moderate hearing loss may find auditory training more helpful than people like Lynn, who have been profoundly deaf from birth.