The problem with 'Hearing Impaired Child' street signs

On my run this morning I noticed a street sign in the Buttonball area stating Hearing Impaired Child. This got me thinking. Do we really need these? Are they serving a valuable purpose?
Its time to explore this issue.
There seems to be a single purpose for these signs: to alert  motorists that a child in that vicinity is hearing impaired and should that child be near the road they may not hear vehicles coming.
Okay. The child isn't blind is he/she? Shouldn't the parent's child have taught him/her to stop and look both ways before crossing the street? Does this child not have enough intelligence to know that they are unable to hear well, therefore they need to rely on their working sense of sight to look first?
When was the last time you relied solely on your sense of sound to  cross a street? Probably never. We don't because sight is a more reliable method of determining when it is safe to cross. Between  today's cars are getting quieter and bicyclists on the roads its very possible that you can't hear something coming towards you  anyway. So use your eyes! 
Another reason against putting up these signs is the stigma that  may come with labeling a neighborhood child with some disability. I'm sure these children wish to feel as "normal" as all the other  kids. And you know there are going to be some kids who may think differently about the hearing impaired child and perhaps exclude them from play. So these signs could be causing mental anguish to these children.
Exactly how much do these signs cost to make and install? Can't the town or state money be better spent by buying these children some cochlear implants? Let's stop this practice of alienating them and instead enable them to hear and include them in our  society.
Can you recall the last time you drove through a neighborhood with  one of these signs and actually saw children playing out front? I can't remember a time. Kids typically play in their backyards where they are out of harm's way. 
Other valid points for getting rid of these signs include:
How do motorists know where the zone ends? What if the child goes outside the zone?
Who is responsible for taking down these signs when the child has  grown up or moved away? I've seen some of these old signs that look like they've been in place since the Nixon administration. They can't possibly still be "children". Unless those parents have been raising one hearing impaired child after another for the last 2 decades I think its safe to remove the old signs.
Its time to be sensible, stop the stigma, reduce costs, and end the practice of these signs.

Comments

[cindy o'brien]

How Dare you attack the hearing impaired...I have beautiful 18 year old daughter that is tring to learn to drive in this messed up world. Take the time to really get to know a hearing impaired person. She was only 1lb 13oz born. The best friend I have ever had. Get a grip how isolated are you?????

[Art Byram]

Look... Up in the sky... Its a bird... its a plane... No, Its CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!!

With the power of simplicity at my command, I get to say things that everyone knows (or should know), because... DON DON DA DAAA! you guessed it. ITS OBVIOUS!
Bart Allen was only kidding. It was just a pointless rant,.. get it?

Now please stop making fun of "isolated" people who are not able to grip.
Yours truly,
CAPTAIN OBVIOUS

[margrit00]

I am a mother of a hearing impaired child. He is 2, wears hearing aids, and is a very adventurous child. We live at a very busy intersection, and my son will sometimes bolt (as many 2-year-olds are prone to do) into the street without looking. At that age, even after being told over and over to stop and look, they aren't aware of the danger and don't respond to the sound of horn like hearing children. My 4-year-old would run but stop when I yelled or a horn honked, it takes a louder noise or more persistence on my part to get my hearing impaired child's attention. I think the sign is important, at least for now, for his safety. If he ever wants the sign, we will ask for its removal. But I'm all for it for now!

[Sara]

My son is hearing impaired and i think these signs are very important! He is 9 years old and likes to ride his bike. We live in a small town and we live on a road that doesnt get too much traffic, but there is still enough cars going down the road. I dont let my son or his younger sisters outside by themselves, i am always out there also, but i do not hover on top of them. They are allowed from one stop sign to another. I can see them at all times sitting in my front yard. So when he is riding his bike, if a car is coming from behind he doesnt always hear it. These signs let the driver be aware that a child cant always hear the cars and to be cautious. My only issue is that some people dont pay attention to the signs and come flying down the road, i am able to see these cars and am able to get my children out of the way in time, but the majority of people do pay attention and slowndown. Also the signs do not go right in front of our house with a big arrow pointing out that its our child with the hearing impairment (although neither i nor my son is embarrassed of his disability!) we have one son at the beginning of our road, on at the next stop sign and one on a cross street before that stop sign when you get to my road. So there are many houses in between and does not pin point who or where.

[Ryan]

Shame on you! Reduction or loss of hearing greatly reduces a persons judgment! Because it is part of your senses. Senses help us make judgment. For instance I may see a vehicle but the sound of acceleration would increase my judgment. Helping the me decide weather or not I should start crossing the street, road way. Etcetera In the case of children the impairment of hearing will again greatly reduce what little judgment they have to begin with. sounds like your mind has been made up you wouldn't play or be friends with a person because they can't hear! This also tells us how you would bring up your own children. These signs are posted in residential areas for children that live in the area. Because a child should be able to walk to school just as any non impaired child. And who cares how much it cost if it saves 1 life it we'll worth the money spent! We send billion of dollars over seas everyday. What's a couple thousand to raise awareness and possibly save a child's life? Thanks

Sent from my iPhone

[Kelli]

The only advice I have for you sir is to not write any articles on something you have no idea about. No one is perfect and what if a small child dashes from its parent, the signs provide a caution warning that is all. Like a deer crossing sign or a railroad sign it's purpose is to provide a warning of possible danger and to keep your eyes open.
To take away something that can save even a single life is ridiculous. You need Jesus!

[Mylestruglio]

I have no issue with the sign itself. What I have an issue with, is the fact they placed it in the middle of my yard and not anywhere near the deaf child's home.