Hesperian Health Guides
How will I know if my child is learning?
HealthWiki > Helping Children Who Are Deaf > Chapter 7: Choosing and learning a language > How will I know if my child is learning?
- Does my child understand more than she did before?
- Is my child using speech or sign more often than before?
- Does she seem interested in learning to communicate? Or is she getting more and more frustrated?
- Does my child have any behavior problems that may be caused by frustration with not knowing a language, or with not knowing it enough to understand and express herself?
- Do I enjoy communicating with my child, or is it always a frustrating experience?
- Can we communicate easily enough so that I am able to talk with my child about what is happening?
- Does my child communicate well with other people?
- Can my child understand the information that her brothers and sisters understand?
Parents are often told they must choose one language to communicate with their child and keep using it, no matter how much or how little their child is learning. Sometimes health workers encourage this, because they think one method is right and the others are wrong. But no method is perfect.
I just want Leila to learn to talk. But I get so mad at her sometimes when I don't know what she wants. And she gets mad at me too.
Let's not get discouraged. We can work together to find some new ways to help her.
If your child is not learning and is getting very frustrated, then try another approach. Each family must make their own decision based on their child's hearing and their situation.