While some parents know that they want their children to learn to listen and talk, others will select one of the visual (sign) options. Because the various communication options differ significantly and often lead to different outcomes, it’s essential that parents be fully informed about each of the options so that they can choose the option that’s the right fit for their family.
Learn all that you can about the various communication options through books, journals, and membership in organizations that support children with hearing loss, as well as through professionals, other parents of children with hearing loss and adults who have grown up with hearing loss. Also, keep in mind that not all communities currently offer all communication methods.
When choosing a communication method for your child, ask the following questions:
- What are my long-term goals for my child? For my family?
- Is a given option a good match for my child? For our family?
- What communication options are available in my community? Near my community? In my state?
- Does my child to appear to have any additional issues that need to be considered as we consider the various communication options?
- What kind of school experience do I want for my child? How important is it that my child be educated in the mainstream (regular classroom with same-age children who do not have hearing loss)?
When seeking professional support, know that professionals in both the fields of medicine and education specialize in hearing and deafness. Their expertise and perspectives may vary, which can create confusion for parents trying to make the choice that is right for their child. Some professionals are willing to be interviewed by phone or email prior to an appointment when parents are considering using their services. Consider the following questions:
- Do you have a particular communication or educational philosophy in regard to children with hearing loss?
- What experience do you have working with children with a similar background and degree of hearing loss as my child?
- Which communication options have been used with the children with whom you work?
Choose an option and “stick with it” for at least six to twelve months. Then, along with the professionals who are working with you, assess your child’s progress with the communication option(s) you have selected.
The task of selecting the most appropriate communication option for a child can be complicated by the following factors:
- Young Children – Parents may find it difficult to select one option over another because they feel that they do not yet know their child well enough to make a decision. While it is not advisable to “just try” option after option, in some cases parents find that the option they initially selected is not the most suitable to their child and family.
- Older Children – Parents often worry they have missed the critical window of language development. While professionals state that the critical period occurs between birth and age 3, evidence indicates that the most rapid period of growth in the auditory system of the brain is from birth to 6 months While the younger years are an important period, the brain continues to learn language and refine existing language skills at a rapid pace until a child is 10-12 years old. Selection of a communication option for children over age 3 should be given the same degree of attention as for a younger child.
Some parents find it helpful to connect with parent support groups such as the AG Bell Parent Section and/or attend a meeting of their state’s AG Bell chapter so that they can see children and families communicating firsthand.