Supporting Families of Young Deaf Children With Cochlear Implants

For many families of young children who are deaf, a cochlear implant may be the most viable option for promoting spoken language development. Children may qualify for a cochlear implant as young as 12 months if they have demonstrated minimal benefit from conventional amplification. In order for oral language to occur, however, parents need to be fully involved in their children’s early-intervention program. This article presents 2 family constructs that are associated with language learning in young children with cochlear implants: parental involvement and maternal selfefficacy. After reviewing the theoretical and clinical applications of these family constructs, we provide practical suggestions for professionals working with families who have young children with cochlear implants.