Information about Support Services for Families of Young Children with Hearing Loss: A Review of Some Useful Outcomes and Challenges

Abstract

This paper is concerned with reviewing some useful effects of information about support services provided to families of young children with hearing loss and the challenges of providing this information to families. Evidence indicates that 95 per cent of young children with hearing loss have hearing parents. With no previous experience of hearing loss, these families are faced with numerous challenges in raising these children. They require timely and unbiased information that could enable them to respond appropriately to their emotional reactions to the diagnosis of hearing loss, participate actively in early intervention and educational programmes for their children, and collaborate effectively with professionals. Evidence indicates that families of young children with hearing loss may not receive such information. The implication of this as well as some strategies that could be explored to ensure that these families receive timely information about the developmental needs of their children are considered. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Keywords:

• Support services
• information for families
• early intervention
• family effectiveness