260 chapter 31
WHERE CAN YOU GO FOR HELP?
A child who does not hear well needs extra help. Where you can look for help
depends on where you live and on what resources are in your community and in your
country. Here are some possibilities:
• Local deaf persons as teachers. Even
a small village usually has some persons
who have been deaf a long time. Probably
they will have learned to communicate
through signs and gestures. If you ask some of
them to become the friends and teachers
of a deaf child, and advisers to the family,
often they will be glad to do so. They may
remember the difficulties and loneliness
of their own childhood and want to help
provide the understanding and learning
opportunities that the deaf child needs.
Deaf persons can be especially helpful
if they have learned the ‘national sign
language’ and can communicate fully
with other deaf persons. If there is no
such person in your village, but there is
in a neighboring town, perhaps the child
can visit that person, or a group of deaf
persons.
Deaf persons who have learned to communicate
well are often the best teachers of a deaf child
and his family.
• Other families with deaf children. If several families with a deaf child can
come together, share experiences, and learn as a group, this can be a big help. The
younger deaf children can learn from older ones, or from deaf adults. Together they
can develop a form of communication so that all the children and their families can
understand each other.
• The National Association of the Deaf (or other group run by the deaf). Most
countries have associations of deaf persons. These can give you information about the
national sign language in your country, and perhaps send books for learning it. They can
tell you about training programs for the deaf (government, private, and religious) and can
advise which are the best. They may even provide brief training in basic communication
skills to a local health worker, teacher, family member, or disabled child—with the
understanding that he or she then teach others.
• ‘Special education’ programs or schools for the deaf. Many countries have
schools where deaf children can live and receive special training. Some of these are
good and some are not. Good programs try different methods of communication
with each child and then focus on what will probably work best for that child in his
community. Bad programs try to make all deaf children communicate only by lip reading
or speech. For many children this can lead to failure, anger, and emotional harm (see p.
264). Try to get advice from educated deaf persons.
The Hesperian Foundation book Helping Children Who Are Deaf (see p. 640) has many
ideas to help deaf children learn a language and communicate to the fullest of their ability. It
will also help parents make good decisions about the development of a child who is deaf.
Disabled village Children