ential schools) and a shared language, American Sign Language (Cline 1997). The Deaf community has its own regional, state, and national organizations. They have events ranging from athletic events and community picnics to Deaf Miss America and theatrical performances. There are deaf religious congregations and deaf intramarriage is common. All of these things schools, language and organizations have brought together people with low-incidence disabilities that otherwise would have been isolated in their hometowns. However, because the majority of deaf children are born to hearing parents, the passing on or transmission of Deaf culture is not familial but from contact with other deaf people in the community (Mason 1995).Social & Emotional Development of Deaf Children and their FamiliesWhen a new child is welcomed into a family, there is a period of adjustment that the majority of families go through. However, when the child is deaf, it can complicate and add stress to this adjustment for parents unfamiliar with deafness. There are many issues involved with raising a deaf child. Mental health issues are an important area to take into consideration when making decisions for and about a deaf child. There are perspectives in which deaf children are viewed and the perspective a parent may have has an effect on how their child develops socially and emotionally (Henwood 1994). An important perspective is to view the deaf child like any other child. A deaf child has needs like any other. They need all the things that hearing children need: communication, love, attention, a sense of belonging, encouragement, friendship, freedom, culture, choices, high expectations, morals, guidance, and an education. These things combine to make a complete child with a good self-image (Henwood 1994). When needs are not met, they can have potentially devastating effects on the mental health of a deaf child or for that matter a hearing child.Unfortunat...
