For parents and teachers of deaf and hard of hearing children who speak Spanish, there are Spanish-language resources available to cover every spectrum of deafness.
General Deafness Information
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders has a
Spanish language section that has translations of NIDCD publications on hearing loss.
offers Mi Nombre Es Lupita Y Tengo Un Hijo Sordo, a series of six booklets that explain the basics of hearing loss.
Deafblindness Information
The National Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind's DB-Link website has several
downloadable fact sheets in Spanish. Available topics include an overview of deafblindness, communication, and literacy.
Parenting
Parenting Books
Butte Publications has a book that translates into Spanish the first five chapters of a book on parenting deaf and hard of hearing children. This book is El Jardin Silencioso.
Parenting Videos
Some Spanish-speaking parents may have difficulty understanding their deaf children's American Sign Language and English. The Signing Fiesta series of videos helps these parents develop basic vocabularies for communication, literacy skills, and daily living communication skills. One of these has the theme "A Visit to the Audiologist."
Parenting Websites
Some websites on parenting deaf and hard of hearing children offer Spanish-language versions of their sites. One such site is RaisingDeafKids.org.
Teachers
Butte Publications has "Mike and Sherry Visit the Schools" in Spanish, a resource with puppet scripts, songs, and games for easing the acceptance of deaf and hard of hearing students in the classroom.
Cochlear Implants
KidsWorldDeafNet from Gallaudet University has an extensive site, "
Implantes Cocleares."
Hearing Aids
For information about hearing aids in Spanish, refer to the NICD publication
Audifonos.
Hearing Dogs
Butte Publications has "Cajun's Song," a bilingual storybook about a hearing dog.
Speech and Language Development
The
John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles has a Spanish language version of its website. The clinic has years of experience in working with Spanish speaking families internationally.
Health
Butte Publications has three downloadable Spanish language versions of its HiP on Health and Safety student booklets on health and safety. Also available in Spanish are teaching guides. These booklets educate on topics such as HIV/AIDS.
Sign Language
Sign language dictionaries of American Sign Language (not Spanish sign language) have been translated into Spanish. One such dictionary is the Diccionario Visual Plus Picture Plus Dictionary from Butte Publications. This book has only text and no illustratons.(At the time this article was written, the book was not yet out in print). Another resource is a Spanish language version of a sign language video series from
Harris Communications, the Family Sign Language Video Series (item number VT1163 or DVD036).
Other Resources
The Florida Department of Health's Children's Medical Services unit has an
Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Program page that has downloadable parenting videos and transcripts, and printable brochures.
