Imagine that someone handed you $11,867.02 today. (Why such an unusual number, Grammy B?) I'm glad you asked, dear reader. That amount represents the dollars that, according to the US Inflation Calculator, is equivalent to $1300 in 1968, the sum of a grant awarded to those of us majoring in Deaf Education. And I was one of them. You can easily see why $1300 is etched in my memory! The question is, "Why would teachers of the deaf receive such a remarkable grant in 1967-68?
An Answer to the "Why?"
Back in 1963 to 1965, there was a widespread outbreak of German measles (Rubella) in the United States and Europe. The Department of Education's Office of Special Education estimated that the "Rubella Bulge" would hit the schools in 1968, and children born deaf, hard-of-hearing, deafblind, among other challenges, would need critical services. These were children of mothers who, within their first trimester, had contracted German measles. Often the symptoms were so minor that those infected didn't realize it. However, nothing much, except worry, could have been done even if a pregnant mother had gotten the illness.
The grant we received was initiated to entice teachers to enter the field of Deaf Education and to encourage them to complete their degrees and become teachers of the deaf upon graduation. I believe the six of us seniors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee thought it was more like some form of compensation for enduring the grueling demands of one of the most challenging and eccentric professors imaginable. Trust me, no "Animal House" toga parties were happening with our female version of Professor Charles W. Kingsfield Jr. from The Paper Chase.
Long Forgotten
According to Wikipedia, the first Rubella vaccine was licensed in 1969 and later was combined with regular measles and mumps vaccines (MMR). Of course, as a former teacher of the deaf and sign language interpreter, I've worked with many students whose deafness was caused by Rubella during the outbreak four years before I graduated. These students are now in their 50s and their stories are not being told.
Alarm from Those Who Know
Of course, you can see why this recent news regarding the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella/German measles) vaccine motivated me to check my memory of what I know from experience. How could it be that a vaccine that prevented such a surge of deaf, deaf-blind and multiply-challenged children be denigrated in our times? Has everyone forgotten?
To further explore the impact of Rubella, I asked ChatGPT to take a "deep dive," as the over-used colloquialism goes, to offer facts and insights beyond those I experienced. Here are the results of that conversation. I've shortened some of ChatGPT's responses and added my own. (For the entire conversation, click here.)
I asked Chat GPT:
1. Please explain the effect of the lack of rubella vaccine on pregnant mothers in the 60s, and compare the statistics of deaf, deafblind, multiple handicapped children from the 60s to now.
2. Compare the statistics of deaf, deafblind, multiple handicapped children from the 60s to 2025.
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ChatGPT answered:
The absence of a rubella vaccine in the 1960s led to a significant public health crisis, particularly affecting pregnant women and resulting in a substantial number of children born with disabilities.
Impact on Pregnant Women in the 1960s:
During the 1964–1965 rubella epidemic in the United States, approximately 12.5 million cases of Rubella were reported. This outbreak had severe consequences for pregnant women...
A. Pregnancy Losses: miscarriages or stillbirths due to rubella infection.
B. Congenital Rubella/German Measles Syndrome (CRS): Approximately 20,000 infants were born with CRS, leading to a range of severe birth defects, including:
· Hearing Impairments: Many children suffered from hearing loss or total deafness.
· Visual Impairments: Some infants were born blind or developed vision problems.
· Cardiac Defects: Heart abnormalities were common among those affected.
· Neurological Issues: Intellectual disabilities and developmental delays were prevalent.
These outcomes underscored the urgent need for a rubella vaccine, leading to its development and widespread use by 1969.
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Chat GPT then went in depth on the Comparative Statistics: 1960s vs. Present Day, concluding with this statement.
The widespread implementation of the rubella vaccine has led to a dramatic decrease in cases of CRS and associated disabilities.
Click here for the full dialog between my favorite AI tool, ChatGPT and me. These statistics highlight the profound success of vaccination programs in reducing the incidence of rubella-related disabilities.
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Final Thoughts from Grammy B
I've been privileged to have experienced Deaf Culture from an outsider's point of view. Its culture is rich in tradition, brilliance, and that special kind of camaraderie that we all crave.
In the years before my own daughter was born, I worked with approximately 30 deaf students from pre-school through fourth grade. If memory serves me right, at least seven of those students had known to have mothers who had contracted Rubella/German Measles in their first trimester of pregnancy. Hearing losses in my other students were caused by high fevers from illnesses like Meningitis, Scarlet Fever, and other childhood diseases. At least three of my students were genetically deaf.
When I was pregnant with my darling daughter in the 70s, I found out that my husband and I had an RH incompatibility. I knew that incompatibility could have the same effects as if I had contracted Rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy. Of course, I was worried about RH incompatibility. However, I had no worry about contracting Rubella during my first trimester, because by that time the MMR vaccine had been widely distributed and the outbreak was no longer a threat. While there are always fears of the things we can't control, controlling the things we can makes sense.
At 80 years old, I am constantly in awe at how far we've come in all aspects of our lives. While it might be fun to look back to "the good ole days" as they used to say, I appreciate dwelling in the "much-improved 'now-a-days' It breaks my heart a little to think that doubt can sometimes overshadow the very science that improved so many of our lives. But if there's one thing time has taught me, it's that trusting progress, however imperfect—is what carries us forward and fulfills our mandate to make things better.
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