Critical Period

A developmental window during early childhood when the brain is especially receptive to acquiring language. If sufficient language input is not received during this period, language development may be significantly and permanently impaired. The critical period is particularly relevant to deaf children born to hearing families who may not be exposed to sign language early enough. Research has shown that the critical period applies to sign language acquisition as well as spoken language, making early access to a fully accessible language crucial for deaf children's cognitive and linguistic development.