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Marathe M. Therapeutic value in the time of digital brainwaves. SOCIAL STUDIES OF SCIENCE 2024:3063127241241032. [PMID: 38584390 DOI: 10.1177/03063127241241032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
This article examines the value of medical technology through the case of electroencephalograms (EEGs), devices used to visualize brain activity and diagnose seizures. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, the article shows that EEGs are valued differently by patients and medical practitioners. While practitioners value EEGs for their clinical utility, i.e., ability to inform clinical decisions, patients value EEGs even in the absence of clinical utility. Indeed, patients derive long-lasting therapeutic effects from this diagnostic technology. These findings intervene in the utilitarian calculus of therapeutic value-a mode of reasoning that equates value with clinical utility-commonly deployed in biomedicine and engineering and call for a recognition of alternative notions such as the therapeutic value of being witnessed and cared for by medical experts via EEGs and other technologies that require time to work. Expansive notions of therapeutic value are imperative for including marginalized patients-especially low-income, disabled, and women patients-in debates on automation and the future of healthcare. Studying how multiple stakeholders value a medical technology provides insight into valuation, objectification, expertise, and other concerns central to science and technology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megh Marathe
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Szarkowski A, Moeller MP, Gale E, Smith T, Birdsey BC, Moodie STF, Carr G, Stredler-Brown A, Yoshinaga-Itano C, Holzinger D. Family-Centered Early Intervention Deaf/Hard of Hearing (FCEI-DHH): Cultural & Global Implications. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2024; 29:SI27-SI39. [PMID: 38422445 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
This article is the third in a series of eight articles that comprise this special issue on family-centered early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families (FCEI-DHH). It highlights the origins of FCEI-DHH in Western contexts and well-resourced locations and emphasizes the role of culture(s) in shaping FCEI-DHH. This article also cautions against the direct application of the 10 FCEI-DHH Principles presented in this issue across the globe without consideration of cultural implications. Cultural perceptions of decision-making processes and persons who can be decision-makers in FCEI-DHH are explored. Deaf culture(s) and the benefits of exposure to DHH adults with diverse backgrounds are introduced. Structural inequities that impact families' access to FCEI-DHH programs/services and systems, within and among nations and regions, are noted. The need to consider the cultural influences on families is emphasized; this applies to all levels of FCEI, including the development of systems through implementation of supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Szarkowski
- The Institute, Children's Center for Communication/Beverly School for the Deaf, Beverly, MA, United States
- Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mary Pat Moeller
- Center for Childhood Deafness, Language & Learning, Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE, United States
| | - Elaine Gale
- School of Education, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Bianca C Birdsey
- Global Coalition of Parents of Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (GPODHH), Durban, South Africa
| | - Sheila T F Moodie
- Health Sciences, School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Gwen Carr
- Early Hearing Detection and Intervention and Family Centered Practice, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arlene Stredler-Brown
- Colorado Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, Colorado Department of Human Services, Denver, CO, United States
| | | | - Daniel Holzinger
- Institute of Neurology of Senses and Language, Hospital of St. John of God, Linz, Austria
- Research Institute for Developmental Medicine, Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria
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Walker K, Carrigan E, Coppola M. Early access to language supports number mapping skills in deaf children. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2023; 29:1-18. [PMID: 38124681 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enad045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The ability to associate different types of number representations referring to the same quantity (symbolic Arabic numerals, signed/spoken number words, and nonsymbolic quantities), is an important predictor of overall mathematical success. This foundational skill-mapping-has not been examined in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. To address this gap, we studied 188 4 1/2 to 9-year-old DHH and hearing children and systematically examined the relationship between their language experiences and mapping skills. We asked whether the timing of children's language exposure (early vs. later), the modality of their language (signed vs. spoken), and their rote counting abilities related to mapping performance. We found that language modality did not significantly relate to mapping performance, but timing of language exposure and counting skills did. These findings suggest that early access to language, whether spoken or signed, supports the development of age-typical mapping skills and that knowledge of number words is critical for this development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Walker
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Emily Carrigan
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Marie Coppola
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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Schulz S, Harzheim L, Hübner C, Lorke M, Jünger S, Woopen C. Patient-centered empirical research on ethically relevant psychosocial and cultural aspects of cochlear, glaucoma and cardiovascular implants - a scoping review. BMC Med Ethics 2023; 24:68. [PMID: 37641094 PMCID: PMC10464431 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-023-00945-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The significance of medical implants goes beyond technical functioning and reaches into everyday life, with consequences for individuals as well as society. Ethical aspects associated with the everyday use of implants are relevant for individuals' lifeworlds and need to be considered in implant care and in the course of technical developments. METHODS This scoping review aimed to provide a synthesis of the existing evidence regarding ethically relevant psychosocial and cultural aspects in cochlear, glaucoma and cardiovascular implants in patient-centered empirical research. Systematic literature searches were conducted in EBSCOhost, Philpapers, PsycNET, Pubmed, Web of Science and BELIT databases. Eligible studies were articles in German or English language published since 2000 dealing with ethically relevant aspects of cochlear, glaucoma and passive cardiovascular implants based on empirical findings from the perspective of (prospective) implant-wearers and their significant others. Following a descriptive-analytical approach, a data extraction form was developed and relevant data were extracted accordingly. We combined a basic numerical analysis of study characteristics with a thematically organized narrative synthesis of the data. RESULTS Sixty-nine studies were included in the present analysis. Fifty were in the field of cochlear implants, sixteen in the field of passive cardiovascular implants and three in the field of glaucoma implants. Implant-related aspects were mainly found in connection with autonomy, freedom, identity, participation and justice, whereas little to no data was found with regards to ethical principles of privacy, safety or sustainability. CONCLUSIONS Empirical research on ethical aspects of implant use in everyday life is highly relevant, but marked by ambiguity and unclarity in the operationalization of ethical terms and contextualization. A transparent orientation framework for the exploration and acknowledgment of ethical aspects in "lived experiences" may contribute to the improvement of individual care, healthcare programs and research quality in this area. Ethics-sensitive care requires creating awareness for cultural and identity-related issues, promoting health literacy to strengthen patient autonomy as well as adjusting healthcare programs accordingly. More consideration needs to be given to sustainability issues in implant development and care according to an approach of ethics-by-design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Schulz
- Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (CERES), University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Universitätsstraße 91, 50931, Cologne, Germany.
| | - Laura Harzheim
- Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health (CERES), University of Cologne and University Hospital of Cologne, Universitätsstraße 91, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Constanze Hübner
- Center for Life Ethics, University of Bonn, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Mariya Lorke
- Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics, University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI), 33619, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Saskia Jünger
- Department of Community Health, University of Applied Health Sciences Bochum, Gesundheitscampus 6-8, 44801, Bochum, Germany
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Lillo-Martin DC, Gale E, Pichler DC. Family ASL: An Early Start to Equitable Education for Deaf Children. TOPICS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION 2023; 43:156-166. [PMID: 37766876 PMCID: PMC10530710 DOI: 10.1177/02711214211031307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children experience systematic barriers to equitable education due to intentional or unintentional ableist views that can lead to a general lack of awareness about the value of natural sign languages, and insufficient resources supporting sign language development. Furthermore, an imbalance of information in favor of spoken languages often stems from a phonocentric perspective that views signing as an inferior form of communication that also hinders development of spoken language. To the contrary, research demonstrates that early adoption of a natural sign language confers critical protection from the risks of language deprivation without endangering spoken language development. In this position paper, we draw attention to deep societal biases about language in information presented to parents of DHH children, against early exposure to a natural sign language. We outline actions that parents and professionals can adopt to maximize DHH children's chances for on-time language development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane C Lillo-Martin
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, 365 Fairfield Way, Unit 1145; Storrs CT 06269-1145
| | - Elaine Gale
- Department of Special Education, Hunter College, CUNY, 695 Park Ave., Room 918 W; New York, NY 10065
| | - Deborah Chen Pichler
- Department of Linguistics, School of Languages, Education and Cultures, Gallaudet University, 800 Florida Avenue NE; Washington, DC 20002-2226
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Gärdenfors M, Johansson V. Written products and writing processes in Swedish deaf and hard of hearing children: an explorative study on the impact of linguistic background. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1112263. [PMID: 37228344 PMCID: PMC10203585 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1112263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The small body of research on writing and writing processes in the group of deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children has shown that this group struggles more with writing than their hearing peers. This article aims to explore in what ways the DHH group differs from their peers regarding the written product and the writing processes. Participants are all in the age span 10-12 years old and include: (a) 12 DHH children with knowledge of Swedish sign language (Svenskt teckenspråk, STS) as well as spoken Swedish, (b) 10 age-matched hearing children of deaf adults (CODA) who know STS, (c) 14 age-matched hearing peers with no STS knowledge. More specifically we investigate how text length and lexical properties relate to writing processes such as planning (measured through pauses) and revision, and how the background factors of age, gender, hearing and knowledge of STS predict the outcome in product and process. The data consists of picture-elicited narratives collected with keystroke logging. The overall results show that age is a strong predictor for writing fluency, longer texts and more sophisticated lexicon for all the children. This confirms theories on writing development which stress that when children have automatized basic low-level processes such as transcription and spelling, this will free up cognitive space for engaging in high-level processes, such as planning and revision-which in turn will result in more mature texts. What characterizes the DHH group is slower writing fluency, higher lexical density, due to omitted function words, and extensive revisions (both deletions and insertions) on word level and below. One explanation for the last finding is that limitations in the auditory input lead to more uncertainty regarding correct and appropriate lexical choices, as well as spelling. The article contributes with more specific knowledge on what is challenging during writing for DHH children with knowledge of STS and spoken Swedish in middle school, in the developmental stage when basic writing skills are established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moa Gärdenfors
- Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Victoria Johansson
- Department of Primary Teacher Education, Faculty of Education, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
- Centre for Languages and Literature, Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Gärdenfors M. Writing Development in DHH Students: A Bimodal Bilingual Approach. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2023; 28:211-225. [PMID: 36964761 PMCID: PMC10039645 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enac045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This article describes the lexical and syntactic development of written narratives in 24 deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students aged between 8 and 18 and takes into account how their varying linguistic backgrounds may predict their written performance. All participants use spoken Swedish, but the study also considers their proficiency in Swedish Sign language, which ranged from zero to fluent. Their narrative texts were analyzed in regard to syntax and lexicon, which demonstrated a strong developmental trend in which increased age predicted more complex texts. Age of acquisition did not predict any writing outcome, which is suggested to occur because all participants were exposed to language early, that is, within the critical time window for language acquisition. Sign language proficiency showed a tendency to predict adjective density and number of clauses, which encourages future research in this area, especially since this connection argues for the benefits of early access to a language and the positive relationship between sign language proficiency and writing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moa Gärdenfors
- Correspondence should be addressed to Moa Gärdenfors, Department of Linguistics, Stockholm University, Sweden. E-mail:
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Humphries T, Mathur G, Napoli DJ, Padden C, Rathmann C. Deaf Children Need Rich Language Input from the Start: Support in Advising Parents. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:1609. [PMID: 36360337 PMCID: PMC9688581 DOI: 10.3390/children9111609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Bilingual bimodalism is a great benefit to deaf children at home and in schooling. Deaf signing children perform better overall than non-signing deaf children, regardless of whether they use a cochlear implant. Raising a deaf child in a speech-only environment can carry cognitive and psycho-social risks that may have lifelong adverse effects. For children born deaf, or who become deaf in early childhood, we recommend comprehensible multimodal language exposure and engagement in joint activity with parents and friends to assure age-appropriate first-language acquisition. Accessible visual language input should begin as close to birth as possible. Hearing parents will need timely and extensive support; thus, we propose that, upon the birth of a deaf child and through the preschool years, among other things, the family needs an adult deaf presence in the home for several hours every day to be a linguistic model, to guide the family in taking sign language lessons, to show the family how to make spoken language accessible to their deaf child, and to be an encouraging liaison to deaf communities. While such a support program will be complicated and challenging to implement, it is far less costly than the harm of linguistic deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Humphries
- Department of Communication, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Gaurav Mathur
- Department of Linguistics, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - Donna Jo Napoli
- Department of Linguistics, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - Carol Padden
- Division of Social Sciences, Department of Communication and Dean, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Christian Rathmann
- Department of Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10019 Berlin, Germany
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Kecman E. Research About Parents of Children with Cochlear Implants: A Scoping Review. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2022; 27:214-233. [PMID: 35894552 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing have long attracted interest from researchers, though, since the 1990s, published research about this population has increasingly gravitated toward issues surrounding pediatric cochlear implantation. This scoping review was undertaken to map the nature, extent, and range of three decades of research about parents of children with cochlear implants, and reports on (1) publication characteristics, (2) sampling characteristics, and (3) study design characteristics within 80 peer-reviewed articles published between 1990 and 2020. The results indicate several gaps and gluts within the field, including a lack of diversity within (and detail about) study samples, a disproportionate focus on evaluating parents' personal characteristics and (presupposed) psycho-emotional problems, and a scarcity of participatory or co-constructed projects. The results may inform future research, ensuring a wider range of perspectives and experiences are recorded and issues of highest priority and relevance to families are investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kecman
- Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW, Australia
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Porter A, Sheeran N, Hood M, Creed P. Decision-making following identification of an infant's unilateral hearing loss: Parent and professional perspectives. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 148:110822. [PMID: 34225081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2021.110822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parents of infants identified with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) make decisions about managing their infant's hearing loss based on limited evidence and before knowing whether their infant will require additional support. OBJECTIVES The decision-making processes of parents and clinicians regarding the management of UHL following newborn hearing screening were examined. PROCEDURE Two convenience samples were recruited: 15 parents of children with permanent UHL aged under 4 years, and 14 clinicians. Applied thematic analysis of the semi-structured interviews elicited insight into the complexities surrounding decision-making from a parent and clinician perspective. RESULTS Three main themes captured the decision-making process: motivation for decision-making, limited evidence creates uncertainty, and available evidence builds certainty. The diverse experiences and opinions of parents and clinicians highlight the complexity of decision-making when there are contested opinions and no clear best management option. CONCLUSIONS The choices parents make about the management of their child's UHL can have lifelong implications for their child. Many questions need answering before parents can effectively evaluate the short- and long-term consequences of their options and whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in the long-term. This uncertainty is challenging for professionals and parents and risks cognitive biases influencing clinical and parental decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Porter
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia.
| | - Nicola Sheeran
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia.
| | - Michelle Hood
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia.
| | - Peter Creed
- School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD, 4222, Australia.
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Abstract
Natural sign languages of deaf communities are acquired on the same time scale as that of spoken languages if children have access to fluent signers providing input from birth. Infants are sensitive to linguistic information provided visually, and early milestones show many parallels. The modality may affect various areas of language acquisition; such effects include the form of signs (sign phonology), the potential advantage presented by visual iconicity, and the use of spatial locations to represent referents, locations, and movement events. Unfortunately, the vast majority of deaf children do not receive accessible linguistic input in infancy, and these children experience language deprivation. Negative effects on language are observed when first-language acquisition is delayed. For those who eventually begin to learn a sign language, earlier input is associated with better language and academic outcomes. Further research is especially needed with a broader diversity of participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Lillo-Martin
- Department of Linguistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1145, USA
- Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Jonathan Henner
- Department of Specialized Education Services, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, North Carolina 27412, USA
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Hussain S, Pryce H, Neary A, Hall A. Exploring how parents of children with unilateral hearing loss make habilitation decisions: a qualitative study. Int J Audiol 2020; 60:183-190. [PMID: 32787641 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2020.1804080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study sought to explore the decision making needs of parents managing the hearing and communication needs of children with unilateral hearing loss. DESIGN An inductive, qualitative method was used. The data were analysed using a constant comparative approach, consistent with Grounded Theory method. STUDY SAMPLE Twenty one families participated in interviews yielding data on twenty two children. Each of these families had at least one child with unilateral hearing loss. The age range of the children varied from four months to sixteen years old. All parents were English speaking and received care from National Health Service Audiology departments across the United Kingdom. RESULTS Parents valued professionals' opinions, but information provision was inconsistent. As their children mature, parents increasingly valued their child's input. Parent-child discussions focussed on how different management strategies fit their child's preferences. Parents were proactive in obtaining professional advice, and integrating this with their own iterative assessment of their child's performance. CONCLUSIONS Decision making is an iterative process. Parents make nuanced decisions which aim to preserve a sense of what is normal for them. Clinicians need to recognise the parental view, including where it may contrast with a medicalised or clinical view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saira Hussain
- Department of Audiology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Helen Pryce
- Department of Audiology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Amy Neary
- Department of Audiology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Amanda Hall
- Department of Audiology, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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Deaf Children as ‘English Learners’: The Psycholinguistic Turn in Deaf Education. EDUCATION SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/educsci9020133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this literature review is to present the arguments in support of conceptualizing deaf children as ‘English Learners’, to explore the educational implications of such conceptualizations, and to suggest directions for future inquiry. Three ways of interpreting the label ‘English Learner’ in relationship to deaf children are explored: (1) as applied to deaf children whose native language is American Sign Language; (2) as applied to deaf children whose parents speak a language other than English; and (3) as applied to deaf children who have limited access to the spoken English used by their parents. Recent research from the fields of linguistics and neuroscience on the effects of language deprivation is presented and conceptualized within a framework that we refer to as the psycholinguistic turn in deaf education. The implications for developing the literacy skills of signing deaf children are explored, particularly around the theoretical construct of a ‘bridge’ between sign language proficiency and print-based literacy. Finally, promising directions for future inquiry are presented.
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