Deaf kids aren’t just ‘hearing kids with devices’ Here’s why…

Hey team,

I’m Clare Best—a teacher of the deaf and also a mum to a deaf child (in case you didn’t already know!). And yes, I’m here to talk about deaf kids—shock, I know!

Here’s the thing: even when our deaf kids have access to spoken language, and even if they sound like hearing kids, they process the world in a totally different way. And that difference starts deep in the brain.

Deaf children, even those who are fluent speakers, think, learn, and attend visually first. At a cognitive and neurological level, they process information differently. Many researchers and Deaf adults refer to this as having a Deaf brain.

Now let’s be clear—this is not a deficit. It’s not something that needs fixing. It’s a difference, and in many cases, it’s an incredible strength.

When access to sound is limited, the brain does something amazing—it reorganises. Parts of the brain that would typically handle hearing shift to support enhanced visual and spatial processing. That means deaf individuals often develop heightened peripheral vision, better motion detection, and stronger visual attention.

This isn’t dependent on whether they use spoken language or sign. It’s not about how well they speak. You can give a child a hearing device, but once this neural reorganisation has occurred, you can’t reverse or override it—and nor should we want to.

For kids who are bilingual in both signed and spoken language, we often see even more incredible strengths:

• Enhanced visual attention

• Sharper motion detection

• Exceptional spatial reasoning

• Strong mental rotation skills

These aren’t just differences. These are superpowers.

It’s about time we stop trying to see deaf kids as hearing kids with devices and start seeing them for who they truly are: deaf kids with incredible, unique ways of understanding the world.

Let’s shift the narrative. Let’s celebrate and nurture the strengths that come with a Deaf brain. Because our kids don’t need fixing.

They need recognising. They need embracing.
And most of all, they need us to see them.