Relationships between caregiver decisions about communication approach and language outcomes for children using cochlear implants^*

* Portions of this research have been accepted for oral presentation at the HEAL Conference, (Lake Como, June 2018).

ABSTRACT

With regard to parents making communication approach decisions for their children with hearing loss, Crowe et al. (2014) suggested that key themes were: feasibility; sources of information; child characteristics; and, future opportunities. For children using cochlear implants (CI/s), the present study aimed to understand parental preferences regarding communication, the sources of information they used, and child language outcomes. Demographic and language data were available for 162 children using CI/s (mean age at CI 3.74 years; SD 3.83). Standard scores (SS) were reported for the PPVT-3/ PPVT-4. To enable inclusion of a more diverse group of children (including those with additional needs) data from the PPVT, PLS, CDI and RI-TLS were coded; receptive and expressive Categories of Linguistic Performance (CLIP; Dettman et al., 2017). Caregivers completed a one-off questionnaire; Parental Views about Communication (PVaC). Chi-square analyses explored the distribution and strength of caregiver responses to PVaC questions about the use of spoken language/Auslan within a Bilingual-Bicultural approach. Correlations between child/family characteristics, child language and parental preferences were explored. Parents’ decisions regarding communication with their children using CI/s were driven by multiple sources of information and influence. Changes in a child’s communication approach before and after hearing diagnosis and, following CIs were unrelated to child language outcomes or family characteristics but were influenced to an extent by parent values and child preferences. Of importance to the field, parents/caregivers require unbiased support from professionals to learn about their needs and to seek information (Young, 2002). Consistent with Watson et al. (2007) child preferences were influential on parental decision making; the present study demonstrated that child language and cognitive skills were also influential.

KEYWORDS:

• Communication options
• communication approach
• cochlear implants
• language outcomes
• parental decision-making

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the parents/caregivers who participated in completing this questionnaire, and the speech pathologists, audiologists, administration personnel and surgeons at the CIC, RVEEH.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

The study was designed by Shani Dettman. Data collection and analysis, writing and editing the manuscript was completed by both Shani Dettman and Kristina Tachtsis.

Notes

* Portions of this research have been accepted for oral presentation at the HEAL Conference, (Lake Como, June 2018).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported, in part, by The HEARing CRC & HearWorks.