*Information in this section was originally developed by a team that created a website for families focused on “raising deaf kids” (see About Us). The content may have been edited or updated.
As a childcare provider, you may not be sure how to interact with a child who is DHH. The following questions can help you understand how to do this.
We have a hard time getting the child's attention. What can we do to get a the DHH child's attention without making her feel singled out?
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Try not to forget that she may have limited ability to hear. This is especially true if there is background noise and/or if she is far away from you. Avoid raising your voice. - Get closer. Communicate directly and on the child's level. Try not to ask another child to communicate for you.
- Use visual cues (e.g., flash the lights, gesture) to get everyone's attention.
How can we best take care of babies or toddlers who are DHH?
- Watch while the child plays and wait for her to look up.
- To get her attention, move your hands and/or sign near the object that she is looking at. You can bring the object close to your face to talk about it or sign about it. It is helpful to get close (on the baby's level) as you talk or sign about a toy.
- Use bright facial expressions.
- Move objects into the child's line of vision to get her attention. Bring objects near your face to bring her attention to your face.
- Follow her interest and her lead. If she points, think about what she is communicating and put that into words. For example, if she points to the block area, you can say, “Oh, you want the blocks? Here are some blocks for you."
- Responding to her interests and gestures is a great way to build communication.
