hearing difficulties and communication 5
When the family sat down that evening to talk, Eva
remembered her neighbor’s question about Anita’s hearing. She
decided to try making different sounds behind Anita’s back to
see what she could hear. When the family saw that Anita did not
respond to most of the sounds, they realized she was deaf. It was a
very sad day for them all.
Anita’s family worried that Anita would never be able to
develop like other children.
How can I explain things to
someone who does not hear
or speak? I want her to have
a normal life like her sister.
What kind of future can a
deaf girl have?
Anita’s parents did their best to help her. They were very busy
taking care of their other children and their fields, so it was hard
for them to give Anita the attention she needed. They hoped that
someday Anita could have a full life, but they did not know how
they could help her.
Anita is not stupid. Because no one ever taught
her language and learned how to communicate
with her, Anita and those around her frequently
misunderstood and disappointed each other.
Anita and other deaf children may behave badly
because they do not understand what they should do.
Because Anita cannot hear words clearly, it is much more difficult for her
to learn her family’s language. So she has trouble understanding what
people want and telling them what she wants.
It is no surprise that children who cannot hear well sometimes feel lonely
or forgotten, develop ‘behavior problems’, or are slow in learning to
relate to other people. Anita needs help to develop language so she can
understand the world around her.
Helping Children Who Are Deaf (2004)