The Story Behind the Deaf Person Street Sign

My Story: Who would’ve thought a simple yellow street sign would mean so much? The amount of appreciation I feel towards this sign is tremendous. Not only does this bring awareness to the surrounding area, but it also offers a sense of comfort. First, let me start by sharing that getting a street sign is not as difficult as you may think. When I was three years old, my parents moved into a home in a newly established neighborhood. This was also around the same time that I was diagnosed with hearing loss. They immediately went into action, trying to make the neighborhood as safe as possible for me. My dad had the brilliant idea to contact the county we lived in by writing a letter sharing that he had a hearing impaired daughter. He was seeking an option for a ‘Deaf Child Playing’ caution sign to post around the neighborhood. He basically was looking for anything that would grab the attention of neighbors and visitors. Little did he know, his daughter would later turn into a tom-boy who enjoyed being outside more than inside! The county approved his letter by offering a ‘Deaf Person’ caution sign and posted two of them in the neighborhood. Yes, the county brought them out and installed both into the ground. How amazing, right? When my dad noticed the street signs were posted, he quickly realized they were on temporary green stakes, which as you can imagine, did not look like the rest of the neighborhood street signs. Being the handy and creative man that he is, he decided the street signs needed to match everything else to look more permanent. So, what did my creative dad do? He removed the temporary stakes and placed a 4x4 wooden post behind each sign. He painted the posts white to match the other street signs and put the signs back where they were initially posted. It honestly looked like the signs were there from the beginning of the newly established neighborhood!

Even though I was a young girl when all of this occurred, I grew an immediate appreciation towards alerting those around you to possible danger in the area. These signs not only kept me safe, they kept all of the other kids playing in their yards safe too. I am so thankful for proactive parents who wanted me to feel comfortable being outside in the neighborhood. The street signs stayed posted in my parent’s neighborhood until I moved out of their home. Now, I have them at my home should I need to use them one day for my own child.

Here’s a Little Help: If you are worried about a child or concerned for yourself in a neighborhood, I would recommend contacting your county and seeing if this is an option for you. My experience was many years ago, but who knows what is available these days! I did enough research to learn that each county is different, but I encourage you to search “how to get a street sign put up in my neighborhood?" I realize not everyone lives in a neighborhood, but there are many options out there for all living areas. I would also contact your neighbors, or whomever is around you, to alert them of your specific situation. Part of the comfort I felt was due to the neighbors understanding my hearing loss and adapting to what made me feel safe. While everyone is not entirely understanding, I like to think safety is a priority regardless of anyone’s situation. I would rather be extra cautious when it comes to my safety and those around me! If it helped me, maybe it will help you.