Behavior Among Parents of Children With Hearing Loss: Analysis Specific to Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Children

Cognitive behaviour conducted by Swarsha (2000) found that deaf children did not differ from normal children in the perceptions of parental behaviour and perspective-taking ability and cognitive functioning. However, the difference between the deaf and normal were significant. Mishra (2001) attempted to study developmental changes on decoding competence and speech- related cognitive processes. Performance in decoding as well as speech- related processes, except sequence repetition, improved as a function of age and grade. It is indicated that the overall problem-solving ability and success in different types of problems were significantly and positively related to each cognitive capability separately as well as globally. Many researchers have observed that there is a significant effect on every aspect of a child’s psychosocial development, self-esteem, self- efficacy, emotional development and social competence and overall perceived quality of life. An analysis of emotional and behavioral disorder among primary school children with hearing impairment observed that children with hearing loss present more behavioral and social problems than their hearing peers.

Swarsha (2000) studied the differences between normal and deaf children on perceptions of parental behaviour, perspective taking ability and cognitive functioning. It also attempts to see whether institutionalization and multiple births of deaf children make any difference to their performance on these variables and academic achievement. The major findings are that deaf children did not differ from normal children in perceptions of parental behaviour and perspective-taking abilities. In academic achievement, non-institutionalized children were found to be significantly on perspectiveability. Mandke (2001) in his study attempts to analysis whether single modality stimulation to its maximum capacity reflects positively upon speech and language performance of hearing impaired individuals. The studies which have been conducted in the area of parenting have shown that parents have positive attitude towards children. With regard to individuals, extremely high and low parenting stress, over involved parent-child relationships, fewer previous surgeries, and younger age predicted greater disturbance. Mothers of developmentally delayed children reported that they are more anxious than mothers of children with normal mental ages. O’Sullivan (2002) explored that majority of the mothers found their pediatricians helpful about issues related directly to their child’s medical condition. However, few found them helpful with issues relating to the effect of the disability on their child’s development, or to their own personal or family needs. Varni (2003) explored that higher paternal depression predicted higher child depression and anxiety and lower self-esteem. Maternal depression and anxiety did not predict child adaptation, as did parent, classmate, teacher, and friend or social support. “Hearing”- one of the five special senses with which a human is gifted. At times, due to variety of reasons, this sense is impaired. WHO estimates that prevalence of hearing impairment is 4% in worldwide1.In India, prevalence of hearing loss is 6.3%2. Government of India launched National Programme for Prevention and Control of Deafness (NPPCD) during years 2006-2008. In India, Prevalence of hearing loss is 11.7% of the school going population (5-15 years) 3.It is important to find the hearing impairment in school going children because at this age child has to build his vocabulary and has to learn auditory discrimination. Hearing impairment of any degree has a profound effect on children. It delays development of speech, slows educational progress and leads to being stigmatized. Hearing-impaired children who are identified early and appropriately managed have improved outcomes in speech, language, cognitive and social development. Proper documentation of various factors contributing to the hearing loss in children and their health seeking behavior is needed.

The impact that a hearing loss can have on the development of a child. The goal for all children with a hearing loss should be early detection followed by appropriate intervention. In this paper we analyzed that the development of language is the foundation for all other aspects of human behaviour, growth and development.

• Kapoor Swarsha (2000) Cognitive Functions and Perspective- taking Ability: A Comparative Analysis of Normal and Deaf Children Psychology of Education Fifth Survey of Educational Research 1550.

• Mishra P (2001) Decoding Competence and Speech-Related Cognitive process: Developmental changes. M.Phil. Psychology of Education, Utkal Univ. Fifth Survey of Educational Research 993.

• O’Sullivan (2002) Perceptions of Pediatricians’ Helpfulness: a National Study of Mothers of Young Disabled Children, Developmental Medicine and child Neurology 34(12)1064-1071.

• Mandke Kalyani (2001) Effect of Single Modality Stimulation upon Speech and Language Development of Hard of Hearing Children. Independent Study,Pune: Tilak College of Education.

Developmental Behaviors Pediatrics14 (1)13-20.