Considering the importance of the family to child development, especially to children who have some disability, this paper analysed some aspects of family interactions and relationships developed between such children and their families. We emphasised family interactions because of their influence on the development of the children’s relationships in the future, particularly in relation to the deaf child. Thus, the following issues were discussed: a) the importance of social interactions and relationships to the process of development and adaptation of handicapped children; b) the impact of the birth of a child who has a disability on the family group; and c)deaf children and their family interactions.
Deafness; deaf child; deaf child-parent interactions; handicapped child family; family relationships