ASL Developmental Trends Among Deaf Children, Ages Birth to Five.

This article focuses on the acquisition and rate of growth of American Sign Language (ASL) skills in deaf children from birth to five years old, using data from the Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist (VCSL). Analysis of 73 children assessed three or more times revealed that ASL use in the home significantly positively impacts initial ASL skill levels, while parental deafness showed a positive trend. Children with lower initial ASL skills demonstrated faster rates of growth, particularly among older children, suggesting some can "catch up" when exposed to fluent ASL models in early education. Other factors such as cochlear implant use, degree of deafness, and age at diagnosis did not significantly predict ASL skill level or growth rate. The study highlights the importance of early and consistent ASL exposure at home and in educational settings for supporting language development in deaf children.