Family Resources
Communicating with my child

There are a variety of ways to communicate with a child who has hearing loss. They range from focus on speaking and listening to learning through signed languages. Parents often select a combination of approaches. They may change how they communicate over time in response to the child's needs.

It’s never too early to start thinking about helping your baby learn language. Without extra help, children with hearing loss have problems learning language.

If you are like most parents, after learning of your child’s hearing loss you will have mixed feelings and many questions. This website will give you information about programs and services to help you and your child.

Parent’s Guide—CDC

When parents are hearing and their babies are deaf or hard of hearing, they need to find effective ways to communicate and model language for their babies. Because each baby and family is different, the decision about how to communicate must be made carefully, based on your baby's and family's needs.

Choosing a communication approach

Babies learn to communicate from being around family members. ​The more conversations that take place with the baby and others using the chosen communication approach, the more your baby will learn about the world. Family members should talk or sign with each other clearly in the baby's presence.

Families also learn to create a "language rich" environment for the child. This means providing regular and frequent communication with the child, natural repetition of ideas, and using techniques known to support children's language development. Families learn to include these approaches in everyday natural interactions like feeding, playing, and outings to the grocery.

Providing a rich learning environment for your baby can present a challenge; Babies learn from their parents, siblings, extended family members, and the place where they spend the most time.

Learning From My Family

Communication starts the moment your baby is born. Experts say that how you connect with your baby helps the baby feels secure and learn building blocks for communication.

Building Conversations

There are a variety of ways for communication to occur with a child who has a hearing loss. They range from focus on speaking and listening to learning through visual means, for example American Sign Language. Parents often select more than one approach, and they may change how they communicate over time in response to their child's needs.

Keep in mind that decisions about how to communicate can be complicated. Take your time to learn about different approaches and to observe what works with your baby. Your early intervention providers will work with you to consider the various approaches, their strengths and limitations for your child, what they require of your family. All of this information can help you make decisions. Those decisions do not need to be "either/or". Many families combine various approaches. They observe what works best, and alter decisions when needed with support from their early intervention professionals.

Eight different Parent Tip Sheets created for parents and caretakers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) to use with the support of an Early Intervention provider with experience working with children who are D/HH.

Parent Tip Sheets - Language development

There are many resources available that provide information about how you can communicate with your child.

Communication - Whatever fits for your family

The ways you choose to communicate with your child will depend on your family's needs including:

  • Your family culture, goals, and priorities
  • The degree of your child's hearing loss
  • Age when the hearing loss was identified
  • The age when amplification or sign language was introduced

Eight different Parent Tip Sheets created for parents and caretakers of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH) to use with the support of an Early Intervention provider with experience working with children who are D/HH.

Parent Tip Sheets - Language development

Communication Considerations A to Z™ is a series from Hands & Voices that's designed to help families (and the professionals working with them) access information and further resources to assist them in raising and educating children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Hands & Voices Communication Considerations

Hearing First (an Oberkotter foundation subsidiary) supports opportunities for children with hearing loss to learn to listen and talk.

Hearing First

Utah State University Spoken Language Program; Hear to Learn is an interactive resource, in English and Spanish, for parents to support spoken language development. The resource includes video tutorials, language activities, webinars, and access to current research.

Hear to Learn

The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, also known as AG Bell, is a resource, support network and advocate for listening, learning, talking and living independently with hearing loss.

AGBell

Cue College is an outreach program of Alternatives in Education for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals (AEHI), an affiliate of the National Cued Speech Association (NCSA).

Cue College

The National Cued Speech Association supports effective communication, language development (international languages) and literacy in families with deaf, hard of hearing or learning disabled infants, children and youth through the use of Cued Speech.

National Cued Speech Association

American Sign Language (ASL) is a complete, natural language that has the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, with grammar that differs from English. ASL is expressed by movements of the hands and face. It is the primary language of many North Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing, and is used by many hearing people as well.

What is American Sign Language (ASL)

American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) is the premier source of information for people who must make decisions about deaf children: parents, families, providers, educators, legislators, and advocates. ASDC sets out the following principles, which ASDC believes apply universally to deaf children, their families, and the professionals who serve them. These principles apply regardless of whether the family chooses a cochlear implant for their child, hearing aids, other hearing technology, or no hearing technology at all.

American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC)

“Sign It ASL” is the short name for “Sign It! American Sign Language Made Easy”. It is an online, self-paced American Sign Language course. The complete curriculum will have a total of 50 lessons that teach conversational ASL (vocabulary, sentences, grammar, and syntax) and Deaf culture.

Sign It ASL - American Sign Language Made Easy

National Association of the Deaf information about sign language for parents

NAD Sign Language for Parents

This parent guide serves as a road map for parents and caregivers of deaf and hard of hearing children. It can help them to navigate their journey on how to best support their children.

Language First Parent Guide

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) supports bilingualism: the development and use of American Sign Language (ASL) and English in the home and educational environment for infants, children, youth, and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing.

National Association of the Deaf

Total communication (TC) incorporates all means of communication: signs, natural gestures, fingerspelling, body language, facial expressions, listening, lip reading and speech to optimize language development. Children in TC programs typically wear amplification, whether it be hearing aids or cochlear implants. TC will and should look different for each child. Some children rely heavily on sign language, while others do not. The TC philosophy adapts to the individual needs of the child in order to facilitate understanding, learning and language development.

When a child fails a hearing screening and follow-up testing reveals a hearing loss, parents often experience a roller coaster of emotions. During this time, parents might get overwhelmed by making decisions that will affect the rest of their child’s life.

ASHA Communication Considerations

Some parents have said that they felt under a lot of pressure to make choices about communication. It is important to remember that you do not have to make a choice for life. The right choice is the one that works best for you and your child.

Making Choices About Communication

Research and resources when addressing the multifaceted challenges of educating deaf and hard of hearing children.

Gallaudet Research

Yes, you can change your mind! Early decisions are not "fixed in stone". Making changes in the method of communication are common, as families learn more about their child's learning abilities and primary needs. It is good to stay open and flexible to different possibilities so that your child learns and thrives at their maximum potential.

Because each baby and family is different, the decision about how to communicate should be based on your baby's and family's needs. Approaches vary in the amount of emphasis placed on listening, spoken language, and/or visual approaches.

Professionals in education, other parents and adults who are deaf or hard of hearing may have differing opinions about the best way for your baby to learn and communicate. As parents, however, you have the right and responsibility to make decisions.

Making Decisions

Adults and children communicate through language. When parents are hearing and their babies are deaf or hard of hearing, they need to find effective ways to communicate and model language for their babies.

Communication

Guides, FAQs, and Information in multiple languages to view or download.

Free Materials About Hearing Loss in Children-Spanish and English Versions

  • Hold your baby close so they can focus on your face. Always position your baby so they can see you. Make eye contact often.
  • Try to minimize background noise so your child can use their hearing to the best of their ability.
  • Use good lighting. Be sure the room is not too dark or the lights, too bright. Be sure the light is not behind you (window, ceiling light or lamps). The light should be behind the baby or in front of you.
  • Imitate the movements and sounds your baby makes, then wait for him or her to repeat them.
  • Work on communicating with your child during activities that you both enjoy.
    Learning Through Play
  • Take time to communicate with your child many times throughout the day.
    Learning From My Family
  • Read to your child often.
    Reading to Your Child
  • Set aside some quiet time for you and your child to share; otherwise, your child may become fussy because he or she is overwhelmed by all of the communication.
    Communicating with My Baby
  • Explore signed languages.
    Making Sign Language Interesting
  • And most importantly, ENJOY the time you and your child spend together!
    Benefits of Playtime
  • If your child uses hearing aids or cochlear implants, never stop talking to your child. Describe what you are doing, read age-appropriate books, sing to your child. The auditory input is of great value for language development.
  • If your child communicates using sign language, learn how to "read" a book to your child using appropriate signs. Show a picture and make up a story. Use signs that correspond to specific items or actions to describe what you are doing or what the child is looking at.
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