A Home Teaching Program for Parents of Very Young Deaf Children. Final Report.

A demonstration home provided a parent oriented program and audiologic management for 94 deaf preschoolers (mean age 2 years 4 months). Each child underwent a trial period with different hearing aids before permanent recommendation was made. Parents were present at these clinic sessions; they also received instruction in how to encourage auditory behavior, orient the child to sound, and talk to the child. Findings over 3 years indicated that language age growth accelerated while performance age and nonverbal mental age remained linear. Also, ability to use amplification from the wearable hearing aid improved, with an improved mean threshold response to spoken voice of more than 20 dB. The parents mobilized themselves into pressure groups resulting in legislation for education of deaf preschoolers. Community approval of the project resulted in continuance of its services after federal funding ceased. (Author/JD)