Booking an interpreter, a private or public state interpreter, can be challenging due to limited availability, high demand, and logistical barriers between meeting times and interpreter availability. Constantly, Deaf individuals face delays or outright denials when requesting interpreters, especially in urgent situations like medical appointments or legal proceedings, since most interpreting must be done in advance. No one can plan for receiving emergency care and properly understanding your ailment is a human right. Organizations lack awareness of their legal obligations under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), or they might cite budget constraints as a reason for not providing interpreters. Additionally, last-minute cancellations or scheduling conflicts can leave Deaf individuals without access to effective communication, further exacerbating these struggles.

There is often a shared understanding between the Deaf adult and hearing CODA that any interpretation is better than no interpretation. The child taking the role of interpreter is often viewed as a practical solution. The right to The CODA, often acts as an unofficial interpreter in situations ranging from medical appointments to mundane social interactions.

The responsibility of CODAs and within the Deaf family highlights the broader need for society to create inclusive structures where Deaf individuals have equal access to resources and CODAs are not automatically placed in the role of interpreters by default.

The responsibility of the CODA is often passed on with time to the youngest child in the family. In the case of the Horrigan household, the inheritance of the interpreter role was passed on to my grandfather, David, the youngest, to bridge language gaps. My grandfather was named after his grandfather and an important part of the Horrigan family.

The eldest son of the family, John Horrigan Jr., never fully became fluent in sign language. So, David often acted as an interpreter between parents and siblings within the household.

David interpreted for John and Louise for medical appointments. Even with American Sign Language as David’s first acquired language, the role of an interpreter who is well-versed in medical terminology between both translated languages is a human right for the deaf individual.

Beyond Deaf cultures, the multi-language household often relies on the bilingual child for language mediation, regardless of the nature of the conversation. The dominant society often expects the CODA to mend language barriers rather than the Deaf parents, pointing to systemic challenges, such as the lack of widespread accessibility for Deaf individuals, including interpreting services.

In a hearing-centric world, Deaf people often rely on the closest hearing kin to bridge language gaps when interpreters are not present or granted by request by the Deaf individual. Statistically, 90% of Deaf couples will have a hearing child. More often than not, the hearing Child of the Deaf Adult (CODA) feels responsibility or is often expected to take on the responsibility of being an interpreter for the Deaf parent.

Many Deaf families have multiple children, so each child of the Deaf adult(s) will experience life as a CODA with varying responsibilities.

While the CODA is given a space to foster bilingual, bimodal, and bicultural competencies, this can also lead to complex emotional dynamics, as CODAs might feel the weight of responsibility at a young age.