We have heard that term used in creeds and covenants within the medical and first responders fields. I would now challenge all of society to read this link on language deprivation and how too many of us are under the wrong impression as to how to help our deaf and hard of hearing children born every day.
Society and our need to normalize everyone has strayed so far towards advancing hearing devices, lip reading, vocalizing, and fixing children, that we have harmed many generations by not teaching them sign language first and foremost.
The scientific research that shows the disconnect within a child's brain development from not hearing does not happen when introduced and taught sign language, because that is in fact a language and the communication needs of that infant are being met. That is a fact. Once that part of the brain development is injured by being deprived of any language, there is no cure or fix.
We want our children to be given the opportunity to develop into their full potential. Yes, it is up to the parents to decide if they will learn sign language, if the child will learn sign language, yet if they were given the facts that it will cause delays in communication development that are permanently stunted, would they choose not to give their child access to sign language? I doubt it.
I have been blessed to have deaf friends and I will continue to learn sign language to better communicate with them. Yet, my heart and mind cannot stand quietly aside while more harm is done and no one is talking about it.
Want to know more? Here are some links to the research done:
Want to help?
Let's fight to have sign language added into as much of our society as possible: schools, public libraries, museums, and even government services. Let's make sign language common place and not foreign to our society's signage and communications! Thousands of children suffer from language deprivation and it is preventable.
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