Hanna Mignano

Interpreting Practicum Fall 2021

10/2/2021

Professional Development

1 hr.

For a Deaf Son

The documentary “For a Deaf Son” was an excellent and heartbreaking portrayal of the difficult

process that families undergo upon learning that their child is deaf. This complicated situation has been

discussed in previous classes, but watching the film brought a whole new understanding of it. The

many complexities and layers to raising a deaf child are shown in a no holds barred way that leaves the

viewer reflecting on how they would go about the process if placed in the parents' shoes. As the boy,

Thomas, grows into adolescence it is clear that, though he is a bright boy, he is falling behind in his

development socially due to the inability to communicate. As the parents grapple with the tough

choices laid before them, it becomes clear that the short window of time Thomas has to develop the

necessary communication skills to become a functioning adult in society is fast closing in. It is easy to

watch a film like this, observe how the parents dealt with the situation, and judge while being on the

sidelines as the viewer. However, I find it difficult to watch and not be in shock at the selfishness of the

parents, especially the mother. Of course their toil is coming from the right place, out of love for their

son and wanting the best for him, but I couldn't understand why the mother was so vehemently against

learning ASL, and for Thomas to do the same. As the film progressed, it became more and more

obvious how this over-protection only worked against Thomas' development, as for example he was

shown laying in the fetal position while other children played at the park, or as he becomes visibly

upset/throwing tantrums while being unable to communicate his basic needs to his mother. The

interviews of other deaf children who either got cochlear implants and/or learned to sign, all seemed to
integrate well in school and other places, and this I hoped would have given Thomas' parents faith in

their options. Instead, it seemed to me, that the mother was in denial and the father didn't fight hard

enough for Thomas; perhaps he was too preoccupied with the filming of the documentary that would

show to the world their struggles. Presumptions aside, I felt a sad irony from this film—that what ought

to have been about Thomas and his path to accessibility, became inadvertently about the parents' own

tension to get there (and possibly other marital tensions as well), leaving Thomas a mere afterthought.

This early disconnect between parent and child must have left its mark on Thomas, as I discovered

from follow-up research that he committed suicide at the tragically young age of 15. Such a sad story,

but hopefully it can be a cautionary tale for other families who find themselves in a similar situation .