[Psychiatric treatment of prelingually deaf and hard-of-hearing people]

Prelingually deaf people are at risk of language deprivation. This may complicate psychiatric evaluation, and treatment in sign language is offered by a specialized national unit. The introduction of cochlear implants has markedly changed opportunities for communication, and the number of sign language users is decreasing. As discussed in this review, the new generations of prelingually deaf may not identify themselves as deaf, but some might have problems with language and communication, and there should still be a focus on this in psychiatric practice.