A Parent's Guide to Hearing Loss

Produced by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program

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American Sign Language (ASL)

American Sign Language (ASL) is not a building block for a language — it is a language itself. While English and Spanish are spoken languages, ASL is a visual language. Because you may not be familiar with ASL, it is included in this section even though it's not a building block like the others.

ASL is a complete language. You communicate using hand shapes, direction and motion of the hands, and facial expressions. ASL has its own grammar, word order, and sentence structure. You can share feelings, jokes, and complete ideas using ASL.

Like any other language, ASL must be learned. You can take ASL classes and start teaching your baby even while you are still learning it yourself. Your baby can learn ASL as a first language. Also, experts in ASL can work with you and your baby to help you learn ASL.

Children and adults can use many other building blocks with ASL. Finger Spelling is one building block that is almost always used with ASL. Finger spelling is used to spell out words that don't have a sign — such as names of people and places.

Glossary

Finger Spelling: Finger spelling is a building block that uses hands and fingers to spell out words. Hand shapes stand for the letters in the alphabet. Finger spelling is used with many other building blocks; it is almost never used by itself.

For more information or to order additional copies of "A Parent's Guide to Hearing Loss" visit CDC's website at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi.