Facts about Deaf People in Denmark

- A deaf person is an individual whose mother tongue is sign language.

- There are 5000 deaf citizens in Denmark using sign language.

- Deaf people have their own Olympic Games called Deaflympics. It is being held every 4th year and Denmark has participated since 1931. The next Deaflympics takes place in Taipei in September 2009.

- Deaf people are able to contact 112 using text messages. Deaf people too can sign up for a service texting them whenever the sirens sound.

- Deaf people dance as much as hearing people and they particularly feel the drums and bass.

- Deaf people can sing – only they use sign language.

- Danish Sign Language has its own grammar and it is an independent language like any other language across the world.

- When deaf people become parents they use a vibrator in order to sense when their baby is crying. Back in the old days they used to tie a string from the mother’s arm to the baby and thus the mother could feel when the baby awoke and cried.

- Sign Language requires eye contact and is not an international language like many people tend to think.

- 90% of deaf parents have hearing children.

- 97% of all parents giving birth to a deaf baby choose to let their child have a Cochlear Implant operation.There are app. 600 elderly deaf citizens in Denmark aged over 65.