Kathryn P. Meadow-Orlans

Communicative Interactions of Deaf and Hearing Children in a Day Care Center: An Exploratory Study

Interactions were observed in a day care center serving deaf and hearing children. Observations focused on eight children (two deaf with deaf parents, two deaf with hearing parents, two hearing with deaf parents and two hearing with hearing parents) between 2 and 3 years of age. Center classes included deaf and hearing teachers and all children were encouraged to sign. Deaf and hearing children alike frequently interacted with other children and teachers whose hearing status differed from their own. However, each group showed a stronger tendency to initiate communication with same hearing status peers. Hearing children displayed the ability to modify their communications modes to match the hearing status of their intended communication partner. Language ability not hearing status, was associated with the frequency of communication experienced by each child

Infants Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, With and Without Physical/Cognitive Disabilities

This paper provides narrative summaries of the medical histories and interactive behaviors of five infants who are deaf or hard of hearing and have other disabilities (HI-MH). All were diagnosed before they were 9 months old, when mothers were interviewed and completed parenting stress questionnaires. Mothers and 12-month-old infants were videotaped in a free play situation. These dyads are compared with mothers and (1) 10 infants with hearing deficits whose pre- or post-natal histories place them at-risk for other disabilities, but who have not been so diagnosed (HI-AR); (2) 8 infants not at-risk for other disabilities (HI-NR) since their hearing deficits are hereditary or have no known cause; and (3) 20 infants with no diagnosed disability of any kind (HG). Behaviors of the three groups of mothers whose babies are deaf or hard-of-hearing were rated below those of HG mothers although HI groups did not differ from each other. HI-MH infants and dyads ranked below those of the three other groups. Parenting stress scores did not differentiate among groups. However, scores for mothers of HI-MH infants were characterized either as extremely high (reflecting great stress) or extremely low (reflecting denial of stress). Discussion addresses implications for intervention.