Blog topic written by Hannah Mann, staff writer at DeafandHoH.com

This week, our topic will focus on hearing loss in conjunction with other conditions—often referred to as “deaf plus.” For example, some people have severe vision loss in addition to their hearing loss. Others have physical limitations that may or may not be correlated to their hearing loss. In fact, there are a variety of conditions in which just one of the symptoms is hearing loss; the other symptoms are often present as a result of that underlying condition.

Often, one “disability” may be rated above the other in terms of the challenges and difficulties they pose. For example, a culturally Deaf person may view vision loss as a bona-fide disability, but deafness merely as a defining cultural characteristic. Conversely, a musically-inclined person might find the onset of hearing loss a greater setback compared to vision loss. This raises some interesting questions on the “status” of various conditions and how they affect individuals’ lives.

How do these other conditions affect your life in addition to your hearing loss, if you have any? How do you view them—as a disability, as a variation in the human condition, or just a part of your life? Please feel free to share your input at this Wednesday’s Open Chat Night.