Info for Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children are special, in my humble opinion. Those of us with normal hearing children know how kids test us, how difficult they can be at times, how they seem to communicate in mysterious ways their wants and desires. Imagine how it'd be if you had to learn a new language just to speak to your kids...how much more they'd depend on you to help them understand this complicated world of ours.

Parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing kids must continually make an extra effort to reach their children, to be patient with them, to make the difficult decisions about how best to educate and raise them.

So, with deep appreciation for you parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, this page is for you. Hopefully, you'll find some interesting links here to help you in your task. If you should find some interesting info or links you think should be included here, please contact .

For those of you who are not parents of Deaf or Hard of Hearing children, take time to browse some of these sites to get an understanding of the issues involved...

Info About Deaf and Hard of Hearing Kids

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - provides information on speech and language disorders, as well as referrals to certified speech-language therapists
• Parent Support Groups - and folks who'd like to get together with other parents of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children
• Deaf Penpals for Youths
• Filipino Deaf Penpals

Causes of Deafness and Hearing Loss

• Identifying Hearing Loss in Young Children
• Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
• Facts on Newborn Hearing Loss and Screening
• KidsHealth Medical Problems page. See the Ears, Nose, Throat/Speech, & Hearing Middle listings on that page.
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Daycare for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Washington State

• Jenny Bell in West Seattle has a daycare.
  
  
• Tiny Talking Hands Montessori Preschool with AM/PM and Evening Child Care - Seattle, WA. 10:00 AM - 9:30 PM. Beginning in October, 2004, a family child care center serving infants to children six years of age opened in the Ballard area of North Seattle. The address is 8350 14thAve. NW Seattle WA. 9117. The name of the School is Tiny Talking Hands. The center provides a rich learning environment for young children and includes a preschool program for children 2 ½ to 6 years of age. The program offers a signing environment for hearing and deaf/hard of hearing children. All children will learn sign if they have not already been exposed to it and be encourage to use sign for communication purposes. The Director and teacher, Yvonne Waldbillig-Lutz is a certified teacher of the Deaf and works in the Highline School District in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program in the mornings. Yvonne is also a certified Montessori Teacher with thirty years of teaching experience in the field of education. The hours of the preschool program are from 12:15 to 3:15 Monday through Friday. The hours of operation for child care are from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. If you have any questions or would like a tour of the school, please contact Yvonne at (206) 784-0511or email lutzyvonne@comcast.net
  
  
• Jovan, a 4th year ASL student at Kitsap High School, is looking for work as a nanny. Contact Jovan at 360-871-3777 or via email at Zebraphreak@aol.com.
  
  
• If you know of others that are doing daycare like this in other areas, send email to and I'll post it here.

Camping Info

• Deaf Camps, Inc. - Deaf & ASL Camp week-long residential camps in Knoxville, MD for deaf or hard of hearing children (ages 7-19) and hearing children who want to learn American Sign Language (ages 8-18). Scholarships available! For more information, contact DeafCampsInc@gmail.com
• Bill Rice Ranch Deaf Camps - Christian camps in Tennessee, Maine, and Arizona
• Bill Rice Ranch Deaf Camps - Christian camps in Tennessee, Maine, and Arizona
• Camp Sign-a-Watha - dated info about 1997 camp
• Camp Taloali - an Oregon camp for Deaf and Hard of Hearing youth
• Growing Up Deaf in the '70s: Summer Camp
• Lions Camp Merrick - located on 320 acres in Southern Maryland, on the shores of the Potomac River about 40 miles south of Washington, DC.
• Sertoma Deaf Camp - in the beautiful Sauratown Mountains of North Carolina
• United Methodist Deaf Camp for 3rd through 12th grades - Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center in Irvine, KY,
• Youth Leadership Camp - National Association of the Deaf (NAD) - at Camp Taloali in Stayton, Oregon
• Deaf Kid's Kamp - If you are deaf, between the ages of 6 and 17, and are looking for a week of summer fun and adventure, you are welcome to join us!
• Christian Camp for the Deaf - in Guntersville, AL. For Deaf and hard of hearing, age 9 through high school, as well as for hearing who understand and use sign.
• Windsor Mountain International - an international mainstreamed camp, focusing on diversity and multiculturalism, located in the mountains of NH. We generally include 8-12 Deaf campers in the month long session, and financial aid is available to qualifying families.

General Parenting Info

• The American Society for Deaf Children - an organization of parents and families that advocates for deaf or hard of hearing children's total quality participation in education, the family and the community.
• Deaf Adoption News Service (DANS) - an excellent resource for those interested in adopting Deaf children
• Help Kids Hear - a site dedicated to helping parents of hard of hearing and deaf children.
• HSDC's Parent-Infant-Program (PIP) an excellent resource in Seattle, WA
• Spirited Discussions Regarding Deaf Children
• Cochlear Implant Info from the U. of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Education

• Washington State Resources
• Central Institute for the Deaf

• Oral Deaf Education - info on oral deaf resources and helpful organizations
• EDUDEAF - request a subscription to a listserv for parents, teachers, administrators, college professors and teachers in training all relative to the field of deaf education
• EDLAW, Inc. - excellent info on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"), Individualized Education Programs ("IEP"), and the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA")
• Deaf Education Web Site - from Kent State University, a Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Program
• Hearing Impairments and Instructional Strategies - info for students about causes of hearing loss and how to enhance the accessibility of course instruction, materials, and activities. (From Northwestern University)
• Methods of Communication With the Deaf - an understanding of various communications methods.

Things To Do

• Deaf Connection - a Seattle opportunity for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind children and their families to meet, communicate and play with deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind adults. Deaf Connection Events
• Club Saturday, a new fun educational ASL program in Seattle using all signing environments for Deaf and Signing Kids ages 3 to 12.
• National Theater of the Deaf

Fun Stuff

• Dolphin Journeys for Deaf Children, a unique program that allows children to swim with and to explore the magical and mysterious world of the dolphin up close and personal.
• Games, Programs & Video for the Deaf - a nice collection of titles for you to check out!
• Kids Core - video tapes and audio tapes for Kids

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