Cochlear implants in children implanted in Jordan: A parental overview

Area of Science:

• Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
• Pediatric Otolaryngology
• Parental Education and Support

Background:

• Cochlear implantation is a significant intervention for children with severe to profound hearing loss.
• Understanding parental perspectives is crucial for optimizing the cochlear implant journey and support systems.
• The Jordanian context presents unique cultural and healthcare system factors influencing parental decision-making and expectations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Jordanian parents' perspectives on the cochlear implant process.
• To assess parental information gathering, satisfaction, and post-surgical outcome expectations.
• To identify factors influencing parental expectations regarding cochlear implant outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted with 60 parents of deaf children undergoing or considering cochlear implantation in Jordan.
• Data collection focused on pre-operative information sources and post-operative outcome expectations.
• Statistical analysis explored the impact of child and parent characteristics on post-surgical expectations.

Main Results:

• Ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctors were the primary information source (60%) for parents considering cochlear implants.
• Parents overwhelmingly agreed (93.3%) on the necessity of a multidisciplinary team approach throughout the process.
• High expectations were reported for spoken language (97%), auditory skills (100%), and mainstream education (92%).
• Parental satisfaction with the cochlear implant decision was high (98.3%), correlating with expectations for literacy development (r=0.7).
• Child's age at implantation and age at hearing loss diagnosis significantly influenced parental outcome expectations (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• While generally satisfied with pre-implant information, parents stress the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team approach.
• Parental education regarding cochlear implants directly impacts their post-surgical outcome expectations.
• These findings can guide healthcare professionals in enhancing services and support tailored to parental needs and expectations.