Deaf Children of Hearing Parents Have Age-Level Vocabulary Growth When Exposed to American Sign Language by 6 Months of Age

J Pediatr. 2021 May;232:229-236. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.01.029. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Abstract

Objective: To examine whether children who are deaf or hard of hearing who have hearing parents can develop age-level vocabulary skills when they have early exposure to a sign language.

Study design: This cross-sectional study of vocabulary size included 78 children who are deaf or hard of hearing between 8 and 68 months of age who were learning American Sign Language (ASL) and had hearing parents. Children who were exposed to ASL before 6 months of age or between 6 and 36 months of age were compared with a reference sample of 104 deaf and hard of hearing children who have parents who are deaf and sign.

Results: Deaf and hard of hearing children with hearing parents who were exposed to ASL in the first 6 months of life had age-expected receptive and expressive vocabulary growth. Children who had a short delay in ASL exposure had relatively smaller expressive but not receptive vocabulary sizes, and made rapid gains.

Conclusions: Although hearing parents generally learn ASL alongside their children who are deaf, their children can develop age-expected vocabulary skills when exposed to ASL during infancy. Children who are deaf with hearing parents can predictably and consistently develop age-level vocabularies at rates similar to native signers; early vocabulary skills are robust predictors of development across domains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Child Language*
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Deafness / psychology*
  • Female
  • Hearing
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Linear Models
  • Male
  • Parents
  • Sign Language*
  • Vocabulary*