title: Children with cochlear implants: the communication journey.
abstract: Cochlear implantation is now a well-established procedure for profoundly deaf children providing access to speech through hearing for many of them. Much attention has focused on which communication mode to adopt with this group of children but very little work has looked at the choices that parents make before and after cochlear implantation. This study, following on from two earlier studies, looked in depth at the experiences of 12 families. It finds that parents choose the most effective way of communicating with their child but retain as their goal, the development of oral communication skills. For many this is a journey in which different approaches are utilised at various stages in the child's development.
authors.affiliation: Ear Foundation, Nottingham, UK. alex@earfoundation.org.uk
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Sue M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Archbold
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hardie
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003142:Communication; D003638:Deafness / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D013060:Speech