CODA: I'm the thumb in my family

Humera Iqbal enters the remarkable world of Children of Deaf Adults, or CODAs. At a young age they take on the mighty responsibility of interpreting for their mums and dads outside the home…in a world built for the hearing. That means they are often emotionally switched on, assiduously punctual, confident and super-organised. Humera, associate professor of psychology at University College London, meets CODA children as they chat and translate while their parents are out and about getting things done. And she hears from adult CODAs to find out how the interpreting they did in childhood shaped them later in life.

(Photo: Khadija and Rubbena, with kind permission)