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.