Switched at Birth, TV series with deaf roles

Switched at Birth, an ABC series that first aired in 2011 and had its final season this year, focuses on the lives of two girls who were switched at birth. They both ended up in very different families and led very different lives. Daphne, played by Katie Leclerc, led an extremely different life being deaf. This series sheds light on the struggles that people with hearing loss/deafness go through and how to overcome it.

Leclerc, who plays the deaf teenager, is actually not deaf in real life, though she does have a slight hearing loss caused by Meniere’s Disease. Some people find it inappropriate for a deaf character to be played by someone who is not deaf. However, Leclerc believes it is a blessing. She states, “Without Meniere’s disease, I wouldn’t be able to play Daphne on Switched. It’s a way for me to have a foot in both worlds. I feel comfortable portraying a girl with hearing loss because I have hearing loss; it’s a huge blessing for me."