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Hearing
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Growing Up With Hearing Loss
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Special Needs
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Deafness and Sexuality
Read this page for help talking to your deaf child about sexuality. Your deaf and hard of hearing
child has the same needs and wants as a hearing child. They both want:
- To feel loved and cared for
- To fit in
- Friends and later, romantic relationships
Communicate with your child
You need to be able to communicate fully with your child. This is important because:
- The more you learn to communicate with your child, the better your relationship with her will be.
- You will understand what is happening in her world better. This will help you answer questions
and give advice.
- You can clearly share your values through discussions. It is easier to teach messages about
sexuality.
Teach a hearing child and a deaf or hard of hearing child the same information about
sexuality. They both need to know the same things.
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Remember, if you teach your child about sexuality using sign language:
- The signs for sexuality are like pictures or gestures.
- They can be uncomfortable to sign.
- The meaning of the sign can be very obvious.
- The information you give needs to be very concrete.
When you talk to your deaf or hard of hearing child about sexuality:
- Don't assume that she knows some things about sexuality:
- Ask questions to find out what she knows.
- Then, talk about what she doesn't know.
- Use pictures when talking about sexuality. Make sure the pictures are appropriate for her age.
- Give examples by telling stories.
Next: Talk About Sexuality
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