Have you ever thought about how many children grow up carrying responsibilities that should never be theirs? That’s what the Eternal Interpreter Syndrome is all about – a phenomenon still little known, but one that shapes the lives of thousands of boys and girls around the world.
The term was born from observing the anguish, pain, and frustration experienced by some hearing children of Deaf parents (known as CODAs – Children of Deaf Adults). The term emerged to name a trauma. From a very young age, these children end up taking on the role of interpreters for their families: translating medical appointments, school meetings, and conversations with authorities. The problem? They are not emotionally prepared to deal with this kind of content and responsibility.
But it doesn’t stop there. If we look closer, we see the same dynamic among children of immigrants. Kids who learn the host country’s language faster than their parents and suddenly become the bridge between two worlds. They translate everything – from school notes to official documents, from medical diagnoses to even legal hearings.
In both cases, childhood is invaded by something that shouldn’t be there: the obligation to mediate the adult world.
And the consequences are serious: anxiety, guilt, constant vigilance, the loss of childhood spaces, and difficulties setting boundaries later in adult life.
What makes it worse is how often this role is romanticised.
The “responsible child,” the “mature kid,” the “exemplary interpreter.” But behind those compliments hides a heavy truth: an overloaded child who cannot simply be a child.
The good news is that change is possible. But it requires clear public policies:
- formally banning children from acting as interpreters in institutional contexts (hospitals, schools, public offices);
- guaranteeing professional interpreters and translators for families who need them;
- providing ongoing psychological support for these children, acknowledging the emotional burden of the role imposed on them.
Giving this reality a name – Eternal Interpreter Syndrome – is the first step to breaking its invisibility. After all, accessibility is a right, but it should never come at the cost of a sacrificed childhood.
In the end, the message is simple and direct: children should be children. Not interpreters.
**If you are the child of an immigrant or of a Deaf parent, feel free to share your story here.
Download or Read more here:
BATISTA, D. J. (2025). The Eternal Interpreter Syndrome: Childhood Mediation in Contexts of Deafness and Immigration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16865111
BATISTA, D. J. (2025). The Eternal Interpreter Syndrome: The Trauma of CODAs. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16265526
BATISTA, D. J. (2025). The Eternal Interpreter Syndrome: conceptual definition, early manifestation and pathways for prevention. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16415342
BATISTA, D. J. (2025). CODAs: Child Labour in a Form Comparable to Modern-Day Slavery?. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16608852