Katy Arecchi is a teacher at the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in Trenton. Each month, she helps run the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Playgroup at the Burlington County Library. Groups like this offer not only an opportunity for children who are deaf or hard of hearing to play with others like them, but act as a resource and networking opportunity for parents, some of whom may be new to the world of the hearing impaired.
The playgroup began with a state initiative to help deaf and hard of hearing children ages 5 and under, according to Arecchi. There are three such groups that meet for play time and peer interaction. One at the Katzenbach School, one in Jackson Township and this particular group in Burlington County.
According to Arecchi, playgroups like this one are essential for deaf children and their families when it comes to teaching them to communicate. They are about much more than just having fun and playing with other children with similar disabilities.
“It’s important because these kids need language. Our deaf kids are often born to hearing families without any knowledge or experience with signing and how hearing language and seeing language are acquired for these kids. It’s very different how they learn, it’s very different how they process things, so it’s very important that we get out here and start helping these families help their kids,” said Arecchi.
The group also serves as a networking and learning resource for parents of deaf children. Everyone in the group comes from a unique situation – there are hearing parents with deaf children who learn to sign along with their child, and there are deaf parents who can meet with other deaf parents or share their knowledge and experience with others in the group.
“They’re all working on all of their language; signing, gestures and some verbal language as well,” said Arecchi.
Sharon Chatham is a fourth-generation deaf parent who brings her 2-year-old son, Sylvester, who is also deaf, to the playgroup. For her, the group provides an avenue for her son to interact with children like him and form his own sense of himself as a deaf individual.
“It’s really good for exposure for him so that we have a deaf identity and we can see other deaf children to play with and have fun with,” said Chatham. “It’s nice they can learn together.”
She hopes that, through the playgroup, Sylvester will develop lasting friendships with children he can grow up with. Arecchi shares that hope for everyone in the group, parents included, that friendships are formed and confidence built.
“A diagnosis of hearing loss is big,” said Arecchi.
In her experience a lot of parents immediately think of all the things their child will never experience, given their disability.
“But that’s not true,” said Arecchi. “These parents and these kids can really do so much more than they realize.”
Katy Holland is a hearing parent of two boys, Declan, age 3, and Lincoln, 1. Having no previous experience with or family history of deafness, her sons’ diagnoses meant a huge adjustment for her and her fiance.
“It was a little hard at first emotionally, just because it’s something you don’t expect, especially not having anything in your family,” said Holland. “Every other disability can usually be seen on an ultrasound, this was just totally an out-of-the-blue kind of thing.”
Holland and her fiance started Declan with Early Intervention, a program for recently diagnosed deaf infants and toddlers, as soon as they could. It was through this program that they heard about the playgroups.
At age 3, Declan is starting preschool and is the only one in class who is hearing impaired. The playgroup is one of the few places he is able to feel like everyone else.
“It’s like his other family, it’s a place for him that he doesn’t have to feel any type of way other than at home. It’s been very helpful,” said Holland.
According to Arecchi, the playgroup will continue to meet throughout the summer. If you are interested in bringing your hearing impaired child to participate, check the Burlington County Library website’s event page to register or email the group at playgroup@mskd.org. The next playgroup is scheduled for Saturday, June 1.
