Women Deaf Daughter and Vestibular Issues

[newgymmum]

I have gone back and read a lot of the old threads about vestibular issues and how they relate to gymnastics. Now I have some questions that I hope someone here (maybe coaches) can answer.

My daughter is profoundly deaf. When she was 6 she got her 2nd cochlear implant. As part of the pre-operative process, she had vestibular testing. I was shocked to learn that her vestibular system basically does not work. As the vestibular specialist explained it to me, there are three systems that work together to control balance: vision, proprioception (touch) and the vestibular system. Apparently, my daughter compensates very well (with vision and proprioception) for her vestibular disorder. She has never had any balance problems or shown any symptoms of a vestibular disorder.

Last summer my daughter watched the Olympics and decided that she likes gymnastics. She started tumbling around the house and yard. Pretty quickly she taught herself cartwheels, handstands, front walkovers and back walkovers. At the school playground, she taught herself to do a pullover to get onto the bar. This January (at age 7), I enrolled her in a beginner gymnastics class at the YMCA. The first night they moved her up to the most advanced class, but she was still more advanced than the other kids in the class. At the second class, she learned how to do a back hip circle. Around the fourth class, they taught her a back handspring and she got it in 3 tries. About a week later I caught her doing round-off back handsprings in the house. She hasn't been taught how to do it & I made her stop so that she doesn't get hurt. I think having this vestibular issue may actually help her when she is learning tumbling. I don't think she ever "feels" like she is falling or has the sensation of being off balance.

In February, I took my daughter to a local gym for an evaluation. They invited her to join their competitive team after this season is over. (The level will be determined after she works with them for a while.) My question is, will she ever be able to master complex gymnastics skills? Or will she reach a point that she can't learn the more difficult skills because of the vestibular disorder? Thank you.

 

[txgymfan]

Thank you for taking the time to reading about Vestibular issues on the site before you came back with your question. I don't have an answer but I appreciate your thoughtful question. Congratulations on the beginning of your gymnastics journey. Your DD sounds very talented and spirited, You have also done the right thing channeling her energy into an actual gym instead of the house and backyard. It sounds like you are on a good path.

 

[iwannacoach]

[video=youtube;2uJeZvFxN5g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uJeZvFxN5g&feature=player_embedded[/video]

I wouldn't doubt she's got some vestibular issues, but there's far more to awareness than hearing and sensing accelerations through the workings of the inner ear. I'm not going to go into to this right now because, in case you haven't noticed, I tend to write way too much to say way too little...... and you'll probably prefer to look deeper to satisfy your own concerns and validate your assumptions. Here's a link to a video you'll enjoy watching, but first let me remind you that every child has their own strengths that are not shared accross the board with everyone....we are all unique.

Let's hope this is a great start to an amazing adventure for all of you.

 

[Jenny]

There are other cochlear gymnasts out there! Go for it and enjoy.

 

[gymgurl]

There was a gymnast on here bri who was deaf and I'm pretty sure she was level 10 so gymnastics is easily possible even with vestibular issues she may face. I'm fairly sure she didn't have cochlear implants either so had to sign with her coach etc. there is a girl in our gym who is deaf and has a hearing aid of sought (has a separate thing with a mic on it for the coach - is this a cochlear implant??) who is a very talented gymnast and is on the elite path. The fact that bri was a level 10 should give you enough confidence that she won't necessarily reach a point where she can't progress. That's not to say she won't as even kids with perfect functioning of all senses can plateau but just reassuring you that it is not inevitable.

 

[sglemon]

Don't let a dx stop her from trying new things, let her live her life and find her limitations as they come up. She sounds like an amazing child! Good Luck!

 

[krisnkids]

I agree with the others, if your dd wants to do gymnastics then support her in it, she sounds like a very talented young lady. That being said, be very very careful in who you allow your dd to train with. Make sure whatever gym you go has a good coaching staff that knows the challenges she faces and what to look for if there is a problem.

 

[MaryA]

There was a gymnast on here bri who was deaf and I'm pretty sure she was level 10 so gymnastics is easily possible even with vestibular issues she may face. I'm fairly sure she didn't have cochlear implants either so had to sign with her coach etc. there is a girl in our gym who is deaf and has a hearing aid of sought (has a separate thing with a mic on it for the coach - is this a cochlear implant??) who is a very talented gymnast and is on the elite path. The fact that bri was a level 10 should give you enough confidence that she won't necessarily reach a point where she can't progress. That's not to say she won't as even kids with perfect functioning of all senses can plateau but just reassuring you that it is not inevitable.

Yes! I know Bri is in college now and not on the site much anymore, but she would be a great contact! Maybe Bog or one of the other moderators knows how to get in touch with her. Or you can try to PM her. I believe she is bribri514.

 

[JBS]

My question is, will she ever be able to master complex gymnastics skills?.

Yes..........

 

[Faith]

Here's a link to the story done on Brianna; Link Removed

And here's the thread- Brianna is the O/P so you can try and PM her from there? Link Removed

 

[newgymmum]

there is a girl in our gym who is deaf and has a hearing aid of sought (has a separate thing with a mic on it for the coach - is this a cochlear implant??) who is a very talented gymnast and is on the elite path.

I'm not sure whether it is a cochlear implant or a hearing aid that she is using. The separate thing with a mic on it for the coach is an FM system, which can be used with either. It allows the coach to speak into a microphone and the input goes directly into the hearing aid or implant. They are commonly used in noisy situations where people using hearing aids and cochlear implants have a difficult time hearing.

 

[newgymmum]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I was concerned that my daughter's vestibular issues would prevent her from progressing beyond the basic skills. I didn't want to mislead her about her potential if that was the case. She thinks that she is going to be a great gymnast. And based on your replies, I can encourage that thinking without feeling like I am setting her up for failure.

I really appreciate the links about Brianna and Aimee Walker Pond. It is wonderful to see the amazing things that they accomplished. I am going to try to contact Brianna. I'm sure that she could be a great role model for my daughter.

 

[CoachGoofy]

(this may be me talking out my you know where, take with a shaker of salt)

If she's never had much vestibular function, she may do better than someone who has on again off again vestibular function, right? It's easier to just do without than to acclimate to change isn't it? The input might not be there, but it's consistently not there & brains are remarkably adaptable. People work around less input from all their senses all the time, right?

(basing this largely on my own experiences as an athlete with sensory integration dysfunction & working with athletes with sensory integration dysfunction--consistently underactive vestibular folks like me seem to do ok. Kids who are oversensitive or changing have a lot more fears).