In my senior year of college, I was extremely lucky to be able to register for American Sign Language class as it is a very popular course to take at the University of Scranton. I have always had an interest in this language, and being that I aspire to be a physical therapist one day, I hope to utilize it to foster an inclusive environment for deaf or hard-of-hearing patients. Last September, during Deaf Awareness Month, my ASL professor incorporated important information and statistics concerning the deaf community to bring our awareness to its prevalence. One statistic especially stood out to me: “90% of deaf children are born to hearing families who know little about deafness” (Terry, 2023). This is an alarmingly large percentage of babies who are born to parents who have never experienced a relative or close friend who has suffered with/currently suffers with hearing loss or deafness. We talked about how upon diagnosis, many parents are in this “freeze” state, completely unsure of what to do, what their child’s life is going to look like, what challenges their child will face, and how best to support them in their development.
I am still shocked upon hearing this statistic because this is a reality for many families in the world, and many people think something will never happen to or affect them until it does. They are then unaware of what to do to move forward. I grew up with the awareness of those who suffer with hearing loss as my mother’s cousin has a daughter who suffers with sensorineural hearing loss. However, in my day-to-day life, I did not have experience with communicating with those who struggle with hearing difficulties. I had always tried to be extra cautious and considerate of it, as I would often watch the sign language interpreter at Church as a young kid, but I had no idea of the true impact this method of communication has for the entire community of those affected by hearing loss.
Learning sign language has been one of the most impactful choices I have made for myself as my eyes have been opened to an entire new world. I did not know many signs prior to taking this class. I have been deeply moved by countless of stories of those who combat hearing loss challenges or have family members who do. Many people don’t realize that something that seems as little as learning a couple of signs in sign language can open up the world to a young child who has hearing difficulties. I think of the parents who have never experienced or imagined their children being able to communicate with people outside of their family or circle of friends. I think of the frustration individuals face at having so much to contribute to the world and desire to connect with people around them, as human beings thrive off of social interaction, but are
limited in who they can interact with due to those surrounding them being unable to understand sign language.
I think a key factor in spreading awareness on this topic includes understanding that those who are diagnosed with deafness or hearing loss are capable of everything that every other human can do except hearing. Not being able to hear does NOT mean they are unable to communicate and express their feelings and thoughts with those around them. Understanding deafness as this barrier that can be broken down through even just learning a couple of basic signs can immensely transform the lives of those affected by this condition. Humans are a social species, and an integral piece of life includes sharing in life experiences with those around us. By being more inclusive toward the deaf community and taking steps to be able to interact with all people, hearing and non-hearing, can make an insurmountable difference in our society and life.
I was so inspired by taking this class and learning about the life-changing impact it has on thousands of families affected by this, that I registered for the second level of this class so I can continue to fine-tune and deepen my ASL skills. Going into the healthcare field, I want to be able to be a voice for those who have additional challenges thrown their way due to circumstances of life. If I can make a difference in even just one individual’s life, by being able to connect and bond with someone who struggles with hearing difficulties, then I know that it will be more than worth it. I hope that more people continue to be inspired to learn this incredible language that has dramatically changed the lives of so many people affected by deafness and hearing loss.
Terry J. (2023). Enablers and barriers for hearing parents with deaf children: Experiences of parents and workers in Wales, UK. Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 26(6), 2666–2683. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13864