It is important for a deaf child to acquire the local sign language as soon as possible.
Imagine yourself in the deaf child's situation. You want to say something or ask a question, but nobody understands you and you don't understand them. People around you are laughing or crying, but you do not know why. How will you be able to express your feelings? How are you going to learn? How long can you go without being able to communicate or being understood? a day? a week? a month? years?
Now let's imagine what a parent is going through when they discover their child is deaf. Their hopes and dreams vanish. Their unfamiliar new situation gives them anxiety, frustration, anger and many other feelings. What is next? What can they do?
An early intervention program guides parents, relatives and friends through the new and unfamiliar situation. Parents and deaf children will learn how to communicate with each other. They will be able to share experiences, express love, learn from each other and hopefully build a strong parent-child relationship.
Would like to start an early intervention program?