Seriously.........HOW!?

[Voodoo Chick]

OK......Maybe a weird question/topic......but, I was talking to a few friends a while back, and we mentioned this, and none of us could figure it out, so.........here goes.....There have been many people that are born deaf, mute, and blind, and yet they are taught to function.....How are they taught? And what do you suppose they think about? There are no images, words, sounds........what must their thoughts be like? This is something that honestly confounds me. I just can't grasp it.

[Nick]

Look up "Helen Keller"

[Voodoo Chick]

Look up "Helen Keller"

I did.....and her life was quite remarkable.......although I am still having a hard time imagining how one would go about educating, and successfully communicating with, someone who has very limited senses.

[0TransAm0]

when they are born that way you just make do with what you got. they don't know any other way..they probably think the same about the people who arn't deaf,blind and whatnot..

[twicks69]

You still have touch, taste, and smell -- which is more than some people in our world today that can see, hear, and talk.

At least they can enjoy ice cream and candy.

[Nick]

I did.....and her life was quite remarkable.......although I am still having a hard time imagining how one would go about educating, and successfully communicating with, someone who has very limited senses.

Typically these people have extremely heightened senses in other regards that allow them to function as well as about anyone else. It's not an easy thing though.

[Yooformula]

ditto what was posted plus you dont miss what you never had, now for those that lose those senses.......thats another story. put yourself in that scenario.

[07ROUSHSTG3]

i thought that helen keller had a little bit of hearing?!?!

[94greenbandit]

My wife works at the Industries for the Blind and she says she is amazed at what they can do given what we figure limited senses.

[88Nightmare]

when you lose your vision or hearing, it makes you refine and strengthen your other remaining senses.

[Voodoo Chick]

ditto what was posted plus you dont miss what you never had, now for those that lose those senses.......thats another story. put yourself in that scenario.


I keep trying to imagine myself in that scenario.....and it really is hard for me to form the concept in my mind, because I am SO used to having those senses, that imagining them gone is....hard to imagine. Just with the limited amount of imagining it, though, it really makes you think. I think about it sometimes to remind myself to NEVER take anything for granted, and appreciate everything, no matter what, because you just never know when it could all be lost.

[shawn]

i have a neice thats 3 years old that is deaf, its just amazing how well she can go about her day. its like she has no problem at all. i ask my sister how she teachs things to her and how to sign language she told me that most people just make things up as they go when it comes to wanting something or needing something. she takes a class at one of the hospitals and all it is are parents who are rasing deaf child or have had a deaf child telling their experiences with what they went through and help each other with the whole sign language aspect of it to.

[u_say_go]

Sunny, you made a really good point...if they've never seen or heard anything in their life, what DO they think about? If they've never been taught to speak or have never heard a sound, they have nothing to mimic in their head. We can "visualize" images and sounds that we've experienced over and over again in our minds...but they can't.
Wierd to imagine how that would be.

[SmokinRAM114]

well if i couldnt see boobies i should would dream about feeling them :D

[Voodoo Chick]

Sunny, you made a really good point...if they've never seen or heard anything in their life, what DO they think about? If they've never been taught to speak or have never heard a sound, they have nothing to mimic in their head. We can "visualize" images and sounds that we've experienced over and over again in our minds...but they can't.
Wierd to imagine how that would be.

Yeah, that's exactly what I mean! I think constantly, about whatever it is on my mind at the time, and it's ALL images, sounds, words.........If you were born deaf, mute, and blind, and have absolutely no "database" of images, sounds, words, etc. to draw from, what are the thoughts composed of???? Because most of these people are probably of normal or even above normal intelligence, just like anyone else, so they think about something.....but....what? :confused