Pledge to challenge the perceptions of what deaf children can achieve . Only 2 in 5 (41%) UK adults believes it is possible for a child born profoundly deaf today to learn to speak as well as a child without hearing loss, according to the latest research by YouGov.* But with early and effective support, deaf children, like Callum, can learn to speak as well as their hearing peers and have the same opportunities in life. Help us challenge perceptions of what deaf children can achieve this Deaf Awareness Week - pledge your support today. . Take the pledge . Callum was diagnosed deaf as a baby and fitted with hearing aids at two months. His family started on AVUK’s Auditory Verbal therapy programme when Callum was eight months old and spent three years working with Auditory Verbal therapists, where his parents were supported and coached in strategies to stimulate Callum’s listening and spoken language. When he started school, his language skills were the same as his hearing classmates. Callum enjoys science lessons and loves playing and chatting with his younger sister, Daniella. His favourite pastime is reading anything from Beano comics to National Geographic books. . Callum’s Mum Ingrid said: “AVUK has helped us get the best start for Callum and for us as a family that’s more than we could have wished for. It’s meant Callum having the opportunity to learn as any other child. “When we learnt that Callum was deaf we didn’t want to believe it but working with AVUK gave us a lifeline. It’s amazing to listen to Callum and his sister having a full-on conversation. We are so grateful to AVUK for making this possible.” . * YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2078 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 30th – 31st March 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Manage Cookie Preferences