Language Deprivation

NBC’s TV Series: New Amsterdam puts a spotlight on language deprivation.

What is language deprivation?

Language deprivation is the term used for when a child does not have access to a naturally occurring language during their critical language-learning years. This happens often to deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

New Amsterdam put a spotlight on this topic in Season 5, Episode 6 “Give Me a Sign.”

Here is a brief summary:

Parents of a young deaf boy named Jael decided to bring him into the psychologist’s office and talk with Dr. Iggy Frome. The parents were having a lot of trouble with their son, Jael as they couldn’t communicate with him.

Mom says that Jael lost his hearing at 12 months. The pediatrician warned both parents that if Jael was taught to sign, he would never learn how to speak. They got the same information from several doctors, telling them that sign language would shrink his world and isolate him. They were to focus only on speech therapy.

Dr. Frome asks the parents if the method is working. Jael is only able to speak 78 words, and the average 2 year old child knows at least 150 words.

Jael is nowhere near that number. The first five years of a child's life is a critical time for cognitive development and the establishment of their native language. This critical period deems the first few years of life as the period during which the brain is most primed for language development.**

Jael’s parents are devastated as the medical world was the one that told them what they needed to do. Instead, it’s led to Jael being language deprived. Dr. Frome explained that, “medicine is still very much filtered through an able-bodied perspective.”

What is the Medical Model of Disability?

The Medical Model views disability as resulting from an individual person's physical or mental limitations, and is not connected to the social or geographical environments. The Medical Model focuses on finding a "cure" or making a person more "normal."

Let me first disclose that this is based on my own life experiences and perspectives. This is one person’s perspective.

I really am proud that NBC & New Amsterdam shared this story because it’s so important. It happens all the time.

My parents had 3 girls, 2 of which were born deaf. Though it took them a bit to figure out that I was deaf as I still responded to certain noises. But once my parents realized that 2 of 3 of their daughters were deaf. They moved mountains to ensure that we had access to everything. All 5 of us learned sign language. My older sister & I had lots of speech therapy. We moved from Pennsylvania to Maryland to attend Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD). In 6th grade, I was given an option to continue attending MSD or transferring to a public school with access to an interpreter.

I had access. My parents made sure of it. I consider myself privileged and incredibly fortunate.

Not everyone had the same upbringing that I did. I remember meeting many of my friends in my first year of college, and half of them did not know sign language.

I was floored by the fact that they made it through school without having an interpreter or never having access to sign language. Most of them could speak well, but they didn’t know any signs. I do not think I would’ve made it through school without having an interpreter.

I know some of them shared that once they got to college, and had interpreters, and had note takers. It was a huge game changer for them. Things became a bit easier, they weren’t having to work as hard to really understand things.

I always struggle to understand why parents would deprive their child(ren) of having access to language. It’s such a simple thing. It’s a different way of communicating. Rather than communicate with your voice, you’re communicating with your hands. Why is that so damn scary?

• Why does the medical community insist on fixing to make sure that someone is more “normal?”

• Why does the medical community focus on cochlear implants, oral education and mainstream placement as the best solution to “fix” a hearing loss/being deaf?

• Did you know that at one point in history, the deaf population on Martha’s Vineyards was so great that the hearing residents used both signed and spoken language to communicate with their neighbors?*** How freaking cool is that?

I challenge you to follow @theaslshop on instagram and pick up a few signs.

**https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_deprivation_in_children_with_hearing_loss

***https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha%27s_Vineyard_Sign_Language