I don’t have any family members who are deaf, but I have spent much of my adult life teaching families how to communicate through sign language. I developed Baby Fingers for that purpose, so clearly, I feel strongly about the benefits of ASL in early language acquisition and development.
For children who are deaf and hearing.
I’m also a music therapist and have taught children and adults who are deaf how to enjoy music, appreciate some sound, while helping hearing families sing through signs.
Should deaf children learn to sign? There seems to be heightened controversy recently regarding sign language and cochlear implants. Honestly, I love the videos on Facebook that show someone (usually a young child) hearing for the first time. It’s so exciting.
But I think there’s a lack of education and understanding about cochlear implants (CI). It’s invasive surgery. It’s expensive and not fully covered by insurance – the surgery or the devices or the necessary therapy and services required to be successful. And without the processors on, the individual is still deaf. (There is some new technology in the works, but most processors have to come off during rigorous exercise, water sports, bath/shower time, and for sleeping). Not everyone qualifies for a CI, and not everyone who does qualify will be successful in developing speech or learning everything in school or integrating into the hearing community. It’s not magic. It takes time and work and pain. For some, it seems magical – suddenly sounds are heard and therefore speech therapy may be more successful. Some who are implanted at a very young age participate in school and other activities as easily as their hearing peers. For some, it’s the absolute right choice. But again, without the processors on, they’re still deaf, making complete reliance on speech and hearing more difficult.
At Baby Fingers we help foster the parent-child bond through music and sign language. As parents, we need to be able to communicate with our children in order to develop a strong relationship. Imagine adopting a child from another country who does not understand English and cannot engage in conversation with you. Ever. Many Deaf, signing teens with whom I’ve worked, and adult friends of mine who are Deaf, have told me about the challenges they faced communicating with their hearing families. Some of my Deaf friends didn’t even learn to sign until high school or college and felt liberated when they finally had a language, a community, a source of support and understanding. It’s not true that every deaf student graduates from high school at a 4th grade reading level. My friends who are Deaf and had exposure to language (ASL) since early childhood (Deaf or hearing signing parents) were much more successful in school, developed native fluency in written English, and earned master’s degrees. Most of them didn’t have the option of a CI as a child – who knows, maybe their experience would have been much different. I know two Deaf adults who decided to get cochlear implants so they could hear their baby’s cries and children’s voices. One felt that the new ‘noise’ in her environment was painful and she still couldn’t hear her baby crying overnight because her processors were off when she was in bed. She eventually stopped putting them on. The other person loved hearing all the sounds around her, and loved being able to turn it all off too! She is a sign language teacher, and at home she signs AND often speaks with her children, one is Deaf, one is hearing.
So what’s the harm in learning to sign? Your 6 month old can’t talk yet, but she could communicate with you in ASL. Why not provide an outlet for language acquisition and family communication pre-verbally and for those times when the hearing aid is off, or the CI processors can’t be used? Why not expose your child to the Deaf community, meet some friends and develop a support system, have an interpreter in school for the times when it’s just too overwhelming to read lips and listen and understand what’s going on all at the same time? Why does it have to be one or the other? Sign language OR speech, cochlear implants OR access to/involvement in Deaf culture? Why not provide our children with all the possible resources and supports? An environment including total communication – speech and other sounds, sign, other gestures and body language, pictures, etc. – can be enriching and may just be the key that opens the door to learning for our children.
I didn’t write this to be judgmental – I don’t know what is best for every family. I wrote this as a reminder to keep an open mind. A reminder to myself as well, because I feel protective of the Deaf community, of Deaf culture, but know that sign language won’t be the choice for every family and – while that’s disappointing to me – that’s okay. I want all children to have the opportunity to communicate in any way they can. I feel that as an educator, it’s my job to provide information and resources so that families can make informed choices.
If anyone reading this is in need of information on cochlear implants, auditory brain stem implants, other hearing technology, finding an interpreter, parent support groups, interested in music therapy research studies that incorporate sign language, or other literature on the topic, please email me at lora@mybabyfingers.com.
Learn more about us at www.mybabyfingers.com