What’s it like for siblings if their brother or sister is deaf?

Siblings who have a deaf brother or sister might have lots of different feelings. They might feel proud that they can use sign language to communicate with their sibling, or have fun meeting other siblings of deaf children. They might also feel embarrassed because other people stare at their brother or sister, frustrated that their sibling keeps asking them to repeat what they say, or worry about what will happen to their sibling if they can’t hear. They might feel jealous if their deaf sibling gets lots of attention because of their deafness, or cross that other people don’t know how to communicate with their sibling. All these feelings are OK.

Most siblings of deaf children love their brother or sister just as much as they would if they were hearing.

What causes deafness?

Deafness happens when one or more parts of the ear aren’t working. Some people are born with their hearing loss. Other people become deaf after an accident or an illness. Your family might not know why your sibling is deaf, and that’s OK.

What does it mean?

Most deaf children aren’t completely deaf. They can still hear some sounds. There are different levels of deafness which describe how much a person can hear. These are called mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Some children are deaf in one ear (called unilateral deafness), and some children are deaf in both ears (called bilateral deafness).

There are two main types of hearing loss.

Conductive hearing loss means there is a problem with the outer or middle ear. Conductive hearing loss is often temporary, which means your brother or sister’s hearing will change over time.

Sensorineural hearing loss means the inner ear isn’t working properly. Sensorineural hearing loss is permanent, which means your brother or sister will always be deaf.

What treatment is there?

If your brother or sister’s deafness is temporary, it’s probably caused by a condition called glue ear. Glue ear happens when liquid gets into the middle ear, which makes it harder to hear. If your sibling has glue ear, they might need to see a doctor to help them hear again.

Some deaf children wear special devices on their heads to help them hear, such as hearing aids or cochlear implants. Hearing aids make sounds louder. Cochlear implants work by turning sounds into electrical signals which go into the deaf person’s brain through a magnet. If your sibling wears hearing aids or cochlear implants, you must be very careful not to damage them or lose them.

Some deaf children learn sign language. Sign language is a way of communicating using your hands.

Lots of deaf people lip-read to help them understand what people are saying. This means they need to be able to see the person’s face.

Being deaf doesn’t hurt, but some deaf children have to have operations in hospital. This can be scary and painful. If your deaf sibling is having an operation, ask an adult if you have any questions. Make sure you tell someone if you’re feeling worried.

Wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants is very tiring, and deaf children have to work really hard to understand speech. It’s even harder in a noisy place with lots of people around. They might ask you to repeat things a lot. Try not to get frustrated. Remember, your deaf sibling just wants to be included like everyone else.

Informaiton approved by the National Deaf Children’s Society March 2025