The pandemic has contributed immensely to societal “norm” changes, not to mention the once “normal” handshake gesture to greet someone or a comforting and uplifting hug to lift the spirits of someone else.
These actions are a thing of the past!
“We now have entered a time where we are increasingly conscious of hand hygiene and take note of the distance we keep between each other. We have also seen mental health issues highlighted due to the struggles the pandemic has had on our personal, career and social lives. But what about deaf people?” said Tevin du Toit.
Born deaf
“I am a deaf person. I was born three months premature, weighing in at just under 1kg and measuring 22cm in length. I was born deaf, the causes are unknown.”
As an infant, his parents were unaware of his hearing impairment only to discover it from the age of four years old.
“However, by then I had already started speaking and the damage to my speech resulting from my hearing impairment had been done.
“I was then assessed by an audiologist and my parents were advised to send me for a hearing test to assess my level of hearing. This prompted my parents to invest in hearing aids for me – which to this day I still wear,” Tevin said.
The next step in the process was to correct his speech. He was then put in a remedial school and attended speech therapy for three years.
“Now, 15 years later, I have overcome my speech impairment albeit with a stutter and I have learnt how to live and function ‘normally’ with hearing aids.”
Impact of Covid-19
A simple thing such as wearing a mask brought about a significant challenge and change to him.
“This is because a deaf person often tends to lip-read a person as they speak, ensuring they do not miss a word or two of what a person has said. And to make matters worse, often the sound of a person’s voice is distorted or the sound gets lost through the mask, resulting in myself losing a few words in a sentence or having to repeatedly ask the person to repeat themselves, which is embarrassing, to say the least.
“I cannot ask a person to take their mask off, as this is a criminal offence. This leaves me often playing a guessing game which can and has become frustrating,” he explained.
Another challenge that has been presented to him is the type of mask he may and may not wear. During the start of the pandemic, he used the normal blue surgical mask which wraps around the ear.
“Unfortunately, that did not last long, as the tube that connects my hearing aid receiver to the moulded earpiece snapped in half. This resulted in me having to find an alternative type of mask.”
Positive and thankful
“I am sure I am one of thousands of deaf people who have endured these challenges. My once normal way of hearing trajectory is a thing of the past and I have had to adapt to the ‘new’ norms of life – just as everyone else has had to. The difference being adaption takes time, but hearing, speaking and interacting with people who wear masks is a norm. Therefore, I try to adapt to the situation as best as I can,” said Tevin.
He would also like to commend the country’s brave response to the pandemic.
“We have all faced struggles, challenges and change, but we have remained steadfast in our approach to adversity. I believe we are a resilient nation with the tenacity to overcome Covid-19,” he concluded.
