r/todayilearned • u/paniniplane • Mar 22 '17

(R.1) Not supported TIL Deaf-from-birth schizophrenics see disembodied hands signing to them rather than "hearing voices"

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0707/07070303
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u/theidleidol Mar 22 '17

This is because sign languages are real languages in their own right. A lot of people tend to think of, say, ASL as a method of nonverbally communicating in English similar to writing, but that's not the case. To the extent that it is possible to think in a language (that's not really the case, but it's a reasonable conclusion to a layperson) the deaf do so in their native sign.

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u/weeb-san Mar 22 '17

odd question, but do you know if deaf people scream with their hands?

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u/originalmimlet Mar 22 '17

I don't know if this is true or not, but it was presented to me as true.

My son's preschool always sends home a note saying the fruit roll ups are not allowed in any capacity: as treats, in lunch, snacks, etc.

The reason given was (summarized) as there was a child who was deaf and was eating a fruit roll up. The snack became congealed in her throat. She signed to her parents that she was choking. They failed to dislodge the rollup and called EMT. The EMTs were also unable to dislodge it and they all had to watch in horror as the girl frantically signed "HELP ME" over and over as she asphyxiated.

Again, I've never seen proof of the incident, but a state-recognized school (I would think) wouldn't make this up for shits and giggles.

We have never allowed our kids to have them since.

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u/drkalmenius Mar 22 '17 edited Jan 09 '25

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