For families who are just beginning
You don’t have to know what you’re doing yet.
Maybe your baby just failed a newborn hearing screening. Maybe you just heard the words hearing loss, Deaf, hearing aids, or cochlear implant for the first time. Maybe your child is older and you’re only now discovering ASL. Maybe you’ve spent hours searching online trying to figure out what comes next.
You are exactly the kind of family we want to reach. You don’t need to know ASL before you walk through the door. You don’t need to have all of the answers. You just need somewhere to begin.
Communication shouldn’t have to wait
No child should have to wait for access to language.
A Deaf or hard-of-hearing child deserves meaningful access to communication from the very beginning. Our goal isn’t to tell families that there is only one right path. Hearing aids, cochlear implants, spoken language, American Sign Language, and other communication approaches may all become parts of an individual child’s story.
We want families to have the tools to communicate, connect, advocate, and make informed decisions for their children.
What we can help with
A place where families can find.
Questions
Things families ask.
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No prior ASL knowledge is needed to reach out. Tell us a little about your family and what you’re looking for, and we can talk about a starting point.
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Yes. Ask, and we will point you to what we know of in West Tennessee.
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That is the plan. Parents and caregivers learn alongside their children.
Questions welcome
Wherever you are starting, your questions are welcome.
Send us a note. You do not need to know the right words to ask. Looking for local organizations, free ways to learn ASL, or a glossary? Browse the family resources.