Exploring the Types of Stories Hearing Parents Tell About Rearing their Children Who Use Cochlear Implants

Conclusions: In the present study, different types of stories emerged from parents’ experiences that share common events—a family’s baby is identified at birth with unexpected permanent HL, the family chooses to pursue cochlear implantation for their child, and then the family raises said pediatric cochlear implant user into adulthood. Despite these similarities, the stories also varied in their sensemaking. Some parents told stories in which a positive life narrative turned bad, whereas others told stories in which a narrative of surviving turned into one of thriving. These findings specifically contribute to the field of hearing healthcare by providing professionals with insight into parents’ sensemaking via the types of stories they shared centered on their perceptions and experiences following their child’s diagnosis of HL and their decision to pursue cochlear implantation.
Source: Ear and Hearing - Category: Audiology Tags: Research Article Source Type: research