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Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and
Hard of Hearing Children: A Proposed Focused Intervention 
in Philadelphia's 19144 Zip Code

by Lindsey Ho!man 

Background
Introduction
 Language deprivation syndrome (LDS) is a 
neurodevelopmental disorder caused by lack of 
language access during a child’s critical period for 
language development—from birth to age "ve (Hall 
et al., 2017). #is disorder is prominent in Deaf and 
Hard of Hearing (DHH) children (Hall et al., 2019). 
Approximately two to three out of 1,000 children in 
the United States are born with hearing loss before 
the acquisition of language, but less than 6% have 
access to sign language in early childhood (National 
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication 
Disorders [NIDCD], 2024a; Murray et al., 2019). 
Limited access to language that has developed through 
natural progression can result in developmental 
delays, language dys$uency, knowledge de"cits, 
and di%culty regulating thinking, mood, and 
behavior (Hall et al., 2017). Exposing a DHH child 
to a language rich environment is the best way to 
prevent and treat LDS (Glickman & Hall, 2018). 
Early intervention services have great potential 
to improve health outcomes for DHH children 
because the earlier a child receives services, the 
greater the chance they will achieve language $uency 
(Humphries et al., 2016). Addressing a lack of sign 
language exposure for Deaf children could improve 
their social, emotional, and cognitive developmental 
trajectories.

Overview
 Language deprivation syndrome is a behavioral 
health condition in which a person has been barred 
from full access to natural language. Lack of access to 
a natural communication system can interfere with 
developmentally appropriate language acquisition 
(National Association of the Deaf [NAD], n.d.-b). 
About two to three out of 1,000 children in the 
United States are born with hearing loss before the 
acquisition of language, and 90% of these children 

are born into hearing families (NIDCD, 2024a). Of 
these Deaf children, less than 8% communicate with 
$uent sign language at home (Hall et al., 2017). In the 
United States, about 1 in every 14 children, or 7%, 
have a developmental language disorder (NIDCD, 
2024b). Language acquisition is most critical during 
the "rst three years of life. If a child does not achieve 
$uency in a natural language by age "ve, they are 
at risk of language deprivation (Humphries et al., 
2016). Language deprivation is rare among hearing 
children, a!ecting largely Deaf and Hard of Hearing 
children (Hall et al., 2019). 
 Oralist and auditory approaches to language 
for Deaf children can negatively a!ect their 
developmental trajectories (Murray et al., 2019). 
Language deprivation a!ects the development of 
neuro-linguistic structures in the brain during the 
critical period, when there is high brain plasticity 
(Hall, 2017). #is can result in developmental delays, 
mental health comorbidities, limited health literacy, 
low quality of life, and a higher risk for trauma 
(Hall, 2017). Being excluded from social interactions 
because there is no easy mode of communication 
likely leads to delays in cognitive and social-
emotional development for DHH children (NAD, 
n.d.-b).
 Developing LDS is impacted by non-changeable, 
behavioral, and environmental factors. Age raises 
the risk: a child needs language $uency by age "ve 
(Humphries et al., 2016). Family dynamic raises the 
risk: 90% of DHH children are born into hearing 
families (Spellun & Kushalnagar, 2018). #e choices 
parents make for their child also raise the risk. 
Families o&en decide to use a spoken language only 
approach with Deaf children (NAD, n.d.-b). #is 
neglects the possible bene"ts of signed and spoken 
language bilingualism (Hall & Hecht, 2024). Failure 
to expose a Deaf child to sign language during the 
critical period of language acquisition can result in 
long-term language deprivation (Hall et al., 2017). 



Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Aisthesis      Volume 16,  202591

#e medical approach to deafness also increases the 
risk of developing language deprivation syndrome. 
Medical professionals do not receive education on 
language acquisition for Deaf children and therefore 
o&en view deafness as a hearing impairment (Hall, 
2017). #e standard medical intervention uses only 
hearing aids and cochlear implants to address hearing 
loss, and professionals sometimes advise against 
using sign language before cochlear implantation 
(Murray et al., 2019; Hall, 2017). Medical and 
educational policies are o&en created without the 
input of Deaf individuals, limiting language access 
for this population (Hall et al., 2017).
 Symptoms of LDS include language dys$uency 
and knowledge de"cits. Language dys$uency occurs 
when a person’s natural language is not $uent, 
resulting in limited vocabulary and lack of syntax 
(Hall et al., 2017). Someone with LDS may also 
struggle to learn new words, understand directions, 
and use complex sentences (NIDCD, 2023). #ey 
may experience general knowledge de"cits due to 
inaccessible environmental information (Hall et 
al., 2017). On a population level, Deaf children are 
typically one to two standard deviations below their 
monolingual hearing peers on cognitive tests (Hall, 
2020). Language deprivation is o&en misdiagnosed 
because it is di%cult to distinguish between a problem 
with the child’s cognition and a problem with the 
child’s environment, including access to language 
(Hall, 2020). Symptoms of language deprivation can 
be misunderstood as sign language interfering with 
spoken language (Hall, 2017).
 LDS o&en coincides with disruptions in thinking, 
mood, or behavior. Language abilities are linked to 
emotional problems and behavior issues, as well as 
psychiatric disorders (Hall et al., 2017). Mental health 
di%culties are elevated in the Deaf population, with 
clinicians viewing language dys$uency as a symptom 
for mental health disorders (Hall, 2017).
 Tailored DHH special education programs cost 
the U.S. $11,006 per child, or $652 million in total, 
during 1999-2000 (Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention [CDC], 2024). In 2019, non-hearing 
health care costs for DHH children globally were 
$12.9 billion. #is does not include the cost of CIs 
or hearing aids (McDaid et al., 2021). Educational 
support for children with hearing loss cost $27 
billion globally, and quality of life lost for children 
equated to $23.7 billion (McDaid et al., 2021).

Epidemiology
 In the United States, about 2 to 3 out of every 
1,000 children are born with hearing loss (NIDCD, 
2024a). In the year 2020, 6,000 U.S. children were 
diagnosed with permanent hearing loss, or about 1.8 
out of every 1,000 infants who were screened (CDC, 
2024).
 According to the National Health Interview 
Survey (NHIS), about 0.6% of children ages 3-17 
in the U.S. have moderate to profound hearing loss 
(CDC, 2024). Of the Deaf children in the United 
States, less than 6% have access to sign language in 
early childhood, with less than 8% of Deaf children 
communicating with $uent sign language at home 
(Murray et al., 2019; Hall et al., 2017). As much 
as 90% of Deaf children are born into hearing 
families who do not know sign language (Spellun & 
Kushalnagar, 2018). One in every fourteen children, 
or about 7%, has a developmental language disorder 
(NIDCD, 2024b). Sign language is o&en not used as 
the primary language in educational settings: only 
1-2% of DHH children experience education with 
sign language as the language of instruction (Hall et 
al., 2019).
 In the U.S., 0.5% of the population under 5 years 
has a hearing di%culty (United States Census Bureau, 
n.d.-e). #e prevalence of language deprivation is 
greater in Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color 
(BIPOC) communities (NAD, n.d.-b). Of 303 
families surveyed by the National Center for Hearing 
Assessment and Management, 49% reported using 
only listening and spoken language (LSL), 17% 
reported using LSL with some signs, 14% reported 
using signed and spoken language, 12% reported 
using mostly cued speech, 3% reported using mostly 
signing with some speech, and 3% reported using 
sign language only (Hall, 2020). In 2020, 64.03% of 
Deaf students aged 5-21 years old received support 
services in a regular classroom for 80% or more of 
the day (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
[IDEA], 2022).
 In Pennsylvania, 0.4% of the population under 
5 years has a hearing di%culty, and 0.4% of the 
population under 5 years in Philadelphia County has 
the same status (United States Census Bureau, n.d.-c; 
United States Census Bureau, n.d.-d). According to 
the 2013-2014 regional and national summary from 
Gallaudet University, 27.7% of all DHH children 
surveyed in the Northeast received education with 



Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Aisthesis      Volume 16,  202592

spoken language only, 26.5% with spoken language 
with cues, 23.7% with sign language only, and 17.7% 
with sign supported spoken language (O%ce of 
Research Support and International A!airs [ORSIA], 
2014). #is same summary states that 30.7% of 
families in the Northeast use sign language at home, 
but 65.2% do not (ORSIA, 2014).

Prevention
 To reduce the risk of developing language 
deprivation syndrome, children must be exposed 
to a natural language at the earliest point in their 
development (Hall et al., 2019). #is begins with 
screening newborns for hearing loss. Upon diagnosis 
of hearing loss, professionals must connect the 
family with appropriate early intervention services, 
including but not limited to family counseling, 
speech-language pathology services, audiology 
services, sign language services, occupational therapy, 
and assistive technology devices (NAD, n.d.-a). 
For these services to be e!ective, families should 
be given balanced information to make informed 
decisions, as well as be introduced to Deaf adults 
(NAD, n.d.-b). Connecting with Deaf individuals 
exposes the family to Deaf culture and helps address 
current gaps in the early intervention process (NAD, 
n.d.-b). In healthcare settings, professionals should 
educate parents on the bene"ts of using sign language 
for spoken language development. #ey should 
also monitor both signed and spoken language 
milestones, properly counseling families whose child 
is not meeting them (Hall & Hecht, 2024). Parents, 
whether $uent or not, should sign with their child 
at home. #is can foster good communication and 
in turn positive family relationships (Humphries et 
al., 2016). Parents should not wait to expose their 
child to accessible language because early exposure 
means a greater chance of reducing the risk of LDS 
(Humphries et al., 2016).
 #e Convention on the Rights of Persons with 
Disabilities includes Articles 9, 21, 24, and 30 related 
to promoting access to language and preventing 
language deprivation. #e articles state, respectively, 
sign language interpreters must be provided in 
health-care settings, governments should promote 
sign language as part of freedom of expression, 
children have a right to education in a language-rich 
environment, and the government provides early 
intervention services (Murray et al., 2019). #ere 

are two accessibility laws related to free appropriate 
public education: section 504 of the Rehabilitation 
Act and part B of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA). Under these policies, DHH 
children are entitled to accessible education through 
an individualized education program (IEP) (O%ce 
for Civil Rights [OCR], 2024).
 #e Language Equity and Acquisition for Deaf 
Kids (LEAD-K) bill also aims to reduce language 
deprivation and promote school readiness in DHH 
children through American Sign Language (ASL) 
and English (Johnson, 2018). #is state legislation 
was "rst introduced in 2016, and 23 states have 
passed LEAD-K legislation as of 2022 (Johnson, 
2018; Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf [RID], 
2022). In Kansas, the bill requires a language 
assessment program that monitors and tracks 
language milestones for DHH children from birth 
to 8 years old (Johnson, 2018). Based on these 
milestones, families can be connected to supportive 
services and make informed decisions about their 
child’s development. Pennsylvania is not among the 
23 states that have implemented LEAD-K legislation, 
but it still o!ers early intervention services for 
any child diagnosed with hearing loss under the 
Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) 
program. Developmental milestones in Pennsylvania 
are monitored by professionals on the following 
teams: multidisciplinary evaluation, Individualized 
Family Service Plan, and Individualized Education 
Program (Campanini, 2021).

Screening and Diagnosis
 Of newborns in the U.S., 98% are screened for 
hearing loss within the "rst month of life (NIDCD, 
2024c). Screening newborns before leaving the 
hospital is known as Early Hearing Detection and 
Intervention (EHDI) (American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association [ASHA], n.d.-b). #e screening 
tests include otoacoustic emissions (OAE) tests 
and auditory brain stem response (ABR) tests. If a 
child is diagnosed with hearing loss, they can then 
be enrolled in early intervention services as soon as 
possible (NIDCD, 2024c). To test for a developmental 
language disorder, speech-language pathologists 
observe the child, survey parents and teachers, assess 
the child’s learning ability, and analyze standardized 
tests of the child’s language performance (NIDCD, 
2023). Professionals use language sampling and 



Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Aisthesis      Volume 16,  202593

naturalistic observation in free play, conversation, 
or storytelling. To test language abilities on 
standardized assessments, clinicians use norm-
referenced tests—comparing the child to other test 
takers—or criterion-referenced tests—comparing 
the child’s performance to predetermined standards 
(ASHA, n.d.-a).
      Diagnostic criteria proposed by Neil S. Glickman 
for language deprivation include the following: a 
child is born with a level of hearing loss in which 
they cannot understand oral language, the child is 
not exposed to sign language, and the child acquires 
language dys$uency in his or her natural language 
(Hall et al., 2017). Dys$uency in sign language means 
limited vocabulary, communicating in phrases rather 
than full sentences, little grammatical structure, and 
a lack of spatial location and movement. A person 
also demonstrates LDS if he or she shows behavioral, 
social, and emotional issues from childhood but 
does not have a co-occurring psychiatric disorder. 
As an adult, the person experiences knowledge 
de"cits and di%culties in interpersonal relationships 
(Hall et al., 2017). Currently, LDS would be classi"ed 
as a neurodevelopmental disorder under the DSM-5 
(Glickman & Hall, 2018). 
 Limited access to natural language has the 
potential to cause permanent brain changes for 
a child. #is can result in developmental delays, 
mental health comorbidities, limited health literacy, 
low quality of life, and a higher risk for trauma 
(Hall, 2017). A late diagnosis can manifest as limited 
educational achievement and di%culty forming 
interpersonal relationships (NAD, n.d.-b). Someone 
diagnosed late with LDS can struggle with the 
concept of time, cause-and-e!ect, conversational 
skills, abstract ideas, learning, and emotional 
regulation (Glickman & Hall, 2018). LDS can result 
in over-utilization of emergency room and urgent 
care services among Deaf individuals because 
of communication barriers. It can also impact 
treatment adherence, disease management, and 
patient-provider communication (NAD, n.d.-c).

Treatment
 #e best treatment strategy for LDS is to immerse 
the child in a language rich environment (Glickman 
& Hall, 2018). Children need not only language 
exposure—which is the presence of language in the 

child’s environment—but also language access—
which means the child receives and understands 
the language input (Hall, 2020). It is imperative that 
families work with speech-language-pathologists 
and other clinicians to help their child expand 
their vocabulary, acquire grammatical structure, 
develop social communication skills, and organize 
information (NIDCD, 2023). Education or family 
therapy can improve conditions for children with 
LDS by improving understanding of the language 
disorder. LDS is separate from deafness itself, mental 
health disorders, or personality characteristics 
(Glickman & Hall, 2018). Hearing aids and 
cochlear implants can also treat hearing loss, but 
they should be paired with intervention services to 
improve language outcomes among DHH children 
(Rosenbaum & Simon, 2016). #e earlier a child 
receives intervention services, the greater the chance 
they will achieve language $uency. #e most e!ective 
early intervention services are delivered before 
the child is 6 months old (Humphries et al., 2016). 
Language therapy and other treatments do not cure 
language disorders, but they improve function in 
areas where families identify goals for their child 
(Rosenbaum & Simon, 2016).

Conclusion
 Language deprivation syndrome a!ects the 
developmental potential of Deaf and Hard of 
Hearing children across the United States. Less than 
6% of Deaf children in the U.S. are exposed to sign 
language in early childhood (Murray et al., 2019). 
With LDS, children experience language dys$uency, 
knowledge de"cits, and delays in social and cognitive 
development. Behavioral and environmental 
in$uences a!ect the developmental choices made for 
Deaf children by parents and medical professionals. 
Although prevalent throughout the United States, 
LDS is preventable. Parents, unknowingly, o&en 
choose one language modality for their child, but 
failure to expose a Deaf child to sign language can 
result in long-term language deprivation (Hall & 
Hecht, 2024; Hall et al., 2017). Early exposure to a 
language-rich environment in which a child has 
language access is the ideal strategy to prevent LDS. 
Each DHH child deserves to learn and grow in the 
same capacity as their hearing peers – with full access 



Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Aisthesis      Volume 16,  202594

to a natural language. Population characteristics, 
community observations, and potential community 
partners are described in the community needs 
assessment.

Community Needs Assessment
Introduction
 #is program will address language deprivation 
syndrome (LDS) in Deaf and Hard of Hearing 
(DHH) children under "ve years of age. #e area 
for the intervention is zip code 19144, which is 
located in Northwest Philadelphia, speci"cally the 
Germantown area. Two possible intervention sites 
include Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD), 
located at 100 West School House Lane, or Joseph 
E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library, located at 
68 West Chelten Avenue. Both potential partners are 
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144.

Quantitative Data
Population
 #e 19144 zip code is comprised of 47,454 
people. Among this population, there are 22,422 
males, making up 47.2% of the residents, and 25,032 
females, making up 52.8% of the residents (United 
States Census Bureau, n.d.-a). Males tend to have a 
higher prevalence and higher risk for developmental 
language disorders, as much as three times the risk 
compared to females (Chilosi et al., 2023).

Race and Ethnicity
 Out of the total number of people living in 
19144, 18.1% identi"ed as White, 73.4% identi"ed 
as Black or African American, 0.4% identi"ed as 
American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0% identi"ed 
as Asian, 0.0% identi"ed as Native Hawaiian or 
Other Paci"c Islander, 1.2% identi"ed as some 
other race, and 4.9% identi"ed as two or more races. 
People of any race that identi"ed as of Hispanic or 
Latino origin made up 4.2% of the 19144 population. 
Sixteen-point-nine percent identi"ed as White alone 
and not of Hispanic or Latino origin (United States 
Census Bureau, n.d.-i). #e prevalence of language 
deprivation syndrome is greater in Black, Indigenous, 
and Persons of Color communities (NAD, n.d.-b).

Age
 In 19144, children under "ve years old made up 
7.3% of the population. Children "ve to nine years 

old made up 5.5%, children ten to 14 years old made 
up 6.3%, and children 15-19 years old made up 
6.5%. Adults 20-39 years old made up 33.5% of the 
population, the largest of all the groups. #ose 40-59 
made up 10.9%, those 60-79 years made up 16.8%, 
and those 80 years and older made up 3.2% (United 
States Census Bureau, n.d.-a). Language deprivation 
syndrome begins in childhood from birth to age "ve 
when children are without language access during 
this critical period of development (Hall et al., 2017).

Languages
 For the population "ve years and over, 40,766 
speak only English. #is constitutes 92.7% of the 
zip code’s population. #e other 3,212 (7.3%) 
speak a language other than English. Among this 
group 3.0% speak Spanish, 1.7% speak other Indo-
European languages, 1.3% speak Asian and Paci"c 
Island languages, and 1.3% speak other languages 
(United States Census Bureau, n.d.-h). About 35% 
of DHH children are surrounded by languages 
other than English and ASL at home. Families who 
speak languages other than those two are at risk of 
receiving limited information from providers in 
healthcare settings (NAD, n.d.-b).

Educational Attainment
 For the population 18-24 years old in the 19144 
zip code, 10.3% are less than high school graduates, 
28.1% are high school graduates or equivalent, 
41.7% have some college or an associate’s degree, 
and 20.0% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. For the 
population 25 years and over, 89.5% are high school 
graduates or higher, and 33.5% have a bachelor’s 
degree or higher (United States Census Bureau, 
n.d.-g). #ere is an education gap among Deaf and 
hearing people in both high school and college. In 
2017, 83.7% of U.S. Deaf adults completed high 
school, compared to 89.4% of hearing adults. #ere 
is a 15.2% education gap in bachelor’s degrees among 
the two populations—18.8% of Deaf people versus 
34% of hearing people have completed this degree in 
the United States (Garberoglio et al., 2019). 

Income
 In 19144, those 15 years and over with an 
individual income of $1 to $9,999 made up 17.3% of 
the population. #ose with an income of $10,000 to 



Preventing Language Deprivation Syndrome in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children

Aisthesis      Volume 16,  202595

$24,999 made up 24.7% of the population, those with 
an income of $25,000 to $34,999 made up 10.9%, 
those with an income of $35,000 to $49,999 made 
up 10.0%, and those with an income of $50,000 to 
$74,999 made up 11.9%. Twelve percent of this zip 
code 15 years and over had an income of $75,000 
or more. #e median income for 19144 is $26,434 
(Untied States Census Bureau, n.d.-i). In the past 12 
months, 29.8% of children were living in households 
below poverty level, and 58.7% of children were 
living in households with Supplemental Security 
Income (SSI), cash public assistance income, or Food 
Stamp/SNAP bene"ts (United States Census Bureau, 
n.d.-b). Income is an important factor determining 
SSI for children with disabilities. Children younger 
than 18 with a medical condition can qualify for 
SSI if their income and resources, or their family 
members’ income and resources, meet the eligibility 
criteria. For children who are not blind, they cannot 
be making more than $1,550 a month to qualify 
(Social Security Administration, 2024).

Children Characteristics
 For the population three to 17 years old in 
households, 7,611 are enrolled in school and 1,160 
are not. Among the 7,611 children, 67.7% are 
enrolled in public school and 32.3% are enrolled in 
private school (United States Census Bureau, n.d.-b). 
Instructional methods for DHH children in schools 
di!er. According to the 2013-2014 regional and 
national summary from Gallaudet University, 33.3% 
of all DHH children surveyed in the United States 
receive instruction in a special school, 47.5% in a 
general education program with hearing students, 
23.6% in a self-contained classroom in a general 
education setting, 14.8% in a resource room, and 
4.2% at home (ORSIA, 2014). Only 1-2% of DHH 
children experience education with sign language as 
the language of instruction (Hall et al., 2019).

Disability Characteristics
 In the 19144 zip code, 3.3% of the total civilian 
noninstitutionalized population is characterized as 
having a hearing di%culty. Out of the 3,474 people 
under "ve years old, 74 have a hearing di%culty, 
or 2.1% of the total, compared to 0.5% of all U.S. 
children under "ve with a hearing di%culty and 
0.4% of all children under "ve in Pennsylvania with 

a hearing di%culty (United States Census Bureau, 
n.d.-f; United States Census Bureau, n.d.-e; United 
States Census Bureau, n.d.-c). In Philadelphia 
County, 0.4% of the population under "ve years 
old has a hearing di%culty (United States Census 
Bureau, n.d.-d). Language access is most crucial 
for this age group because if they do not achieve 
language $uency by "ve years old, they are at risk of 
language deprivation (Humphries et al., 2016).

Qualitative Data
Community Location
 Zip code 19144 of the Germantown area is 
located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is mainly 
bound by Chew Avenue to the Northeast, Roberts 
Avenue to the Southeast, Wissahickon Avenue to 
the Southwest, and Johnson Street to the Northwest. 
East Germantown is located to the Northeast, the 
Broad Street Line is located to the East, East Falls 
and Wissahickon are located to the Southwest, and 
Northwest Philadelphia is located to the Northwest. 
#e main road within this community is Germantown 
Avenue (see Appendix A). A community visit was 
conducted on October 26 at one in the a&ernoon 
and lasted about one hour. #e following criteria 
were evaluated: community resources, health care 
facilities, social cohesion, active community groups, 
transportation options, and state of housing.

Community Observations
 Germantown has various community resources 
available for children and families. Much of the 
neighborhood is developed for commercial or 
residential purposes, but it includes Blue Bell 
Park, which is a large green space connected to 
Wissahickon Valley Park. Other outdoor areas 
typically include playgrounds and so&ball or soccer 
"elds, including Cloverly Park, Fernhill Park, a 
so&ball "eld o! Church Lane, Mallery Playground 
in Carpenter Park, and Morton Playground. Most of 
these green spaces are surrounded by fences. #e zip 
code included about four recreation or community 
centers that advertised social gatherings and 
workout classes. #ey were located close to outdoor 
green spaces or parks. #e neighborhood has many 
childcare facilities and one free library: Joseph E. 
Coleman Northwest Regional Library. Other than 
the community centers, churches appeared to be a 



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Aisthesis      Volume 16,  2025

main place for people to congregate. #e zip code 
has about six churches spread throughout the 
neighborhood.
 #e 19144 zip code incorporates several health 
care facilities but very few specialists for Deaf and 
Hard of Hearing (DHH) children. Health Center 
9, which is one of the Philadelphia Department of 
Public Health’s city health centers is located within 
this zip code, close to the Germantown Southeastern 
Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) 
station. #ere is one rehabilitation and nursing 
center, a few additional general medical clinics 
and o%ces, and several home healthcare services. 
#e healthcare services o!ered in this area seem 
to be tailored to an older population, but there are 
several family practice physician o%ces. #ere is a 
pediatric and adolescent medicine center located 
near the intersection of West School House Lane 
and Greene Street, across from PSD. #is school is 
located on West School House Lane in Germantown, 
and they o!er audiological services, speech therapy, 
occupational therapy, and physical therapy at their 
location (Pennsylvania School for the Deaf [PSD], 
n.d.-c).
 On a sunny Saturday in Germantown, social 
cohesion was noticeable in the neighborhood. Along 
the main road that runs through the 19144 zip code, 
Germantown Avenue, there were many people 
around. Some were driving cars, some were walking 
alone, and others were in small groups, going into and 
out of stores, restaurants, fast food establishments, 
and mini marts. Around Greene Street and Armat 
Street, there was a community event happening, 
which hosted many families in the area. Children 
were dressed up in Halloween costumes, there were 
hayrides, there was music playing, and there were 
many di!erent vendors. #e 19144 zip code also has 
many churches and religious establishments, which 
bring groups of people together. Some individuals, 
families, and children were spending time outside 
in parks, including Vernon Park, located centrally in 
the neighborhood. 
 Germantown has several active community 
groups, but few were visible upon visiting the 
community. One noticeable one was Germantown 
Community Fridge, a few blocks from Vernon Park 
by the Maplewood Mall. #is organization o!ers free 
food to the community to help "ght hunger and food 

insecurity (Germantown Community Fridges, n.d.). 
Other active community groups that primarily use 
Facebook to connect are Germantown Philadelphia 
Parents and Families Group and Northwest 
Philadelphia Parents Meeting. #e former o!ers a 
space for families to share day care resources, kid-
friendly events, and ask questions; the latter allows 
parents to "nd tutoring help, playgroups, and events 
(Germantown United Community Development 
Corporation, n.d.). Along with academics, PSD 
engages in community outreach. #ey collaborate 
with local, regional, and national organizations to 
promote their students and connect the surrounding 
Deaf and hearing communities (PSD, n.d.-b). 
 Many cars drive through the neighborhood on 
Germantown Avenue, but there are also various 
public transportation options utilized by community 
members. SEPTA Regional Rail has about six train 
stations in this neighborhood, including Wayne 
Junction, which is a major transportation hub for 
the area. Bus 23 travels down Germantown Avenue 
from Chestnut Hill to 11th Market in Center 
City (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation 
Authority [SEPTA], n.d.-a). Bus 26 travels East on 
Chelton Avenue from Chelton Avenue Station to 
Frankford Transportation Center (SEPTA, n.d.-b). 
Bus 65 travels Southbound from Germantown-
Chelten to 69th Street Transportation Center 
(SEPTA, n.d.-c). Fares for the SEPTA buses range 
from $2 to $2.50, depending on the form of payment. 
Fares for the SEPTA Regional Rail range from $3.75 
to $10. Children under twelve ride for free on both 
modes of transportation with a fare-paying adult 
(SEPTA, n.d.-d). #e Regional Rail stations in 19144 
primarily feature the Chestnut Hill East Line and 
the Chestnut Hill West Line, which both connect to 
stations in Center City. 
 #e state of housing varies throughout the 19144 
zip code and can a!ect the environment in which 
a child grows up in. Southwest by School House 
Lane and Wissahickon Avenue, there are several 
high-rise luxury apartment buildings. In the center 
of the zip code, around Germantown Avenue and 
West Chelten Avenue, most of the residences are 
apartments located above stores, if there is any 
housing at all. East by LaSalle University, there are 
more high-rise apartment complexes. #e rest of the 
zip code features a mix of single-family homes and 

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Aisthesis      Volume 16,  2025

rowhomes, with a majority being the latter. Most 
had clean streets and maintained lawns, but some 
had uneven sidewalks, damaged siding, and litter. 
#e area in the middle of the 19144 zip code, around 
Germantown Avenue, contains mostly commercial 
properties, with more residential homes residing on 
the outskirts.

Potential Community Partners
 Potential community partners in the 19144 zip 
code include Pennsylvania School for the Deaf (PSD) 
and Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library. 
PSD is located at 100 West School House Lane 
and serves the DHH population of Southeastern 
Pennsylvania (PSD, n.d.-a). #e school already has 
many community services in place to serve this 
population and their families, including educational 
outreach, family support, parent support, and 
American Sign Language classes (PSD, n.d.-b). 
Joseph E. Coleman Northwest Regional Library is 
located at 68 West Chelten Avenue. #is potential 
partner o!ers meeting spaces with a reservation, 
public restrooms, Wi-Fi, and story times appropriate 
for young children (Free Library of Philadelphia, 
n.d.). #e library could serve as a neutral location 
for trainings, workshops, and support groups.

Conclusion
 Language deprivation syndrome occurs in Deaf 
children who do not have access to language from 
birth to age "ve (Hall et al., 2017). In the 19144 
zip code, 2.1% of the 3,474 individuals under "ve 
years old had a hearing di%culty, compared to 
0.4% of children under "ve in Pennsylvania with 
a hearing di%culty (United States Census Bureau, 
n.d.-f; United States Census Bureau, n.d.-c). In the 
community, 73.4% identi"ed as Black or African 
American, and rates of language deprivation are 
higher among people of color (NAD, n.d.-b). One 
potential community partner, Pennsylvania School 
for the Deaf, already has connections with the 
Southeastern Pennsylvania Deaf community and 
engages in educational outreach, making it an ideal 
place to hold an intervention to bene"t those in the 
19144 zip code.

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