Parental Readiness for Cochlear Implant Decision-Making

Abstract

This paper reviews the sparse literature on parental readiness for cochlear implant decision-making. It urges professionals to be cautious when engaging parents in the process and emphasizes the need for professionals to have appropriate training in counselling and parent education. It highlights a range of beliefs and feelings that parents may experience when faced with decision-making; draws attention to possible parent, professional and agency discrepancies in beliefs; and brings to light two common decisionmaking processes used by families of children with a disability. It concludes with recommendations for improving practice and a call for action. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords:

• cochlear implant
• decision making
• deaf
• parent