When language comes too late: Developmental implications of delayed sign language exposure
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES, vol.20, no.4, pp.1-7, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Review
- Volume: 20 Issue: 4
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.1093/cdpers/aadag021
- Journal Name: CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES
- Journal Indexes: Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Health Research Premium Collection (ProQuest), Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), IBZ Online, Education Abstracts, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), EBSCO Education Source, Psycinfo
- Page Numbers: pp.1-7
- Open Archive Collection: AVESIS Open Access Collection
- Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Deaf children born to hearing parents—who represent the majority of deaf children—often do not have full access to the spoken language input around them and may not receive early exposure to a sign language, placing them at risk for delayed access to a natural language. When deaf children have early access to an accessible language environment, they can achieve developmental milestones comparable to their hearing peers. But delayed or inconsistent access to accessible language may affect language development and related cognitive and socioemotional outcomes. In this article, I synthesize evidence from around the world on delayed exposure to sign language within children's broader accessible language experiences and discuss spatial cognition as a particularly informative domain for understanding how language access may shape broader cognitive development. I argue that equitable language development for deaf children requires policy shifts toward universal access to bilingual-bimodal interventions as the foundation of ethical and effective support systems.