Empowering Parents in Early Intervention for Deaf Children

👶 Being deaf is not a disability, but a normal part of our own culture.

🤷‍♀️ Hearing parents of deaf babies are often shocked and uncertain about what to do.

🏥 The approach of hospitals and early intervention professionals can contribute to parents' fear and uncertainty.

✨ Parents are often outnumbered by professionals, creating a power imbalance and causing fear.

😢 Doctors' choice of words, such as 'diagnosed,' creates a negative impact on parents.

🚫 Parents' fear is intensified by the use of terms typically associated with severe illnesses.

Identifying a child as deaf instead of saying they have a hearing loss can be more positive.

Parents often feel pressured to choose only one communication option for their deaf child.

Doctors should present communication options as opportunities instead of implying that only one option can be chosen.

👉 Parents should have the freedom to choose between sign language and cochlear implants for their child's communication development.

🤝 Using the term 'early intervention' in hospitals can make parents feel helpless, so it's better to use the term 'involvement' and emphasize support and information.

🔍 The negative terminology used by audiologists, such as saying a child has 'failed' a hearing test, can be discouraging and should be improved.

👶 Deaf children are often referred to with negative terms like 'vocational limitations,' which scares parents.

👥 Doctors should use the term 'journey' to describe the experience of having a deaf child and help parents view it in a positive light.

👂 Parents of deaf children have unlimited opportunities and should not be discouraged about their child's future prospects.

👧🏻 Negative terminology applied to De people should be avoided.

🔎 Parents should be informed about visual and audio technologies.

🏥 Hospitals should discuss cultural aspects and inform parents about successful deaf adults.

🏥 Deaf adults as role models at hospitals are the missing link.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Parents leave the hospital with a sense of relief and the idea that their child can have a normal life.

👥💭 Interaction with deaf adult role models changes parents' perception of deaf people.