Governor Roy Cooper has declared September as Deaf Awareness Month. State officials want to promote understanding and appreciation of contributions made by the state’s deaf citizens.
The governor’s proclamation marks 72 years since the first Congress of the World Federation for the Deaf was held.
Officials with the state Department of Health and Human Services say the recognition “demonstrates North Carolina’s ongoing commitment to promote communication equity among all of our state’s residents.”
According to NCDHHS, more than 200 infants are diagnosed every year with permanent hearing loss, while 200 additional children experience hearing loss before they start school. Officials project that 1.6 million adults in North Carolina will have hearing loss by 2030.
It’s believed that early exposure to language, whether spoken or American Sign Language, can greatly help children foster meaningful interaction, ensure their readiness for education, and regulate their own behaviors and emotions.
The NCDHHS Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing provides a number of resources at its seven regional centers.