Dinner Table Syndrome: Being Deaf in a non-signing family

By Angela Core, ASL Interpreter

Spending time with family over the holidays provides an opportunity to reconnect, create lasting memories, and strengthen the bonds with loved ones, but this can only happen if everyone shares the same language. For individuals who use sign language, family gatherings surrounded by non-signing hearing people are inaccessible.

Dinner Table Syndrome experienced by deaf individuals highlights the challenges they face in a world dominated by spoken conversations. For those who communicate through sign language, DTS manifests as a barrier to inclusive mealtime discussions leaving deaf individuals feeling like outsiders in their own family or social setting.

To combat this, fostering an environment that embraces visual communication, such as sign language, becomes crucial. Families can enhance inclusivity by learning basic signs, utilizing visual aids, and promoting a space where everyone can participate in the conversation, regardless of their hearing abilities.

Addressing Dinner Table Syndrome for deaf individuals involves recognizing and adapting to diverse communication needs, ensuring that the dinner table remains a place for shared experiences and connection.