Health-related quality of life among mothers of children with cochlear implants with and without developmental disabilities.

Background: Cochlear implants (CIs) are widely used among children with severe to profound hearing loss. Raising a child with a CI presents unique challenges to the family, especially when the child has a developmental disability (CI-DD).

Aims: This study aimed to elucidate the relations between the functioning of children with CIs, their mothers' coping resources (i.

The Transition to School Among Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Children: Teacher and Parent Perspectives.

Although entry into the school system is a major milestone in the lives of young d/Deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and their families, relatively little is known about parents' and teachers' experiences and perspectives of this important transition. The aims of this study were to describe parents' concerns during their children's transition from early intervention to school, to describe practices available for families of DHH children, and to explore parents' and teachers' perspectives regarding practices that support a smooth transition to school. Parents (N = 40) and teachers (N = 37) of the deaf and hard of hearing completed surveys examining their experiences and perspectives on DHH children's transition to school.

Propagating the Haze? Community and professional perceptions of cannabis cultivation and the impacts of prohibition.

Background: Recent decades have seen substantial changes in the UK cannabis landscape, including increased domestic production, the ascendancy of stronger strains (namely 'skunk') and the drug's reclassification under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act. Resultantly, cannabis retains significance in the consciousness, priorities and policy agendas of communities, drug services and criminal justice agencies.

Methods: This paper presents an empirical study, which examined both perceptions and impacts of cannabis cultivation and its control within a North-West English borough.

Health-Related Quality of Life Among Young Children With Cochlear Implants and Developmental Disabilities.

Objective: The present study examined differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between deaf children with cochlear implants (CI) with and without developmental disabilities (DD) and differences across HRQoL domains within both groups of children.

Methods: Ninety-two parents of children with CI aged 3-7 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Of these children, 43 had DD (i.

The Transition From Early Intervention to School for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: Administrator Perspectives.

Although the transition from early intervention (EI) to school is a significant milestone in the lives of young children, little research to date has investigated this transition among children who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The aims of this study were to investigate the organizational policies, procedures, and guidelines that facilitate or hinder the transition from the EI system to the school system for children who are D/HH from the perspective of program administrators. Using the Enhanced Critical Incident Technique methodology, 146 incidents were extracted from 10 interviews and sorted into 10 helping, 9 hindering, and 5 wish list categories.

Social and Emotional Learning and the Work of Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

The study investigated how social and emotional learning (SEL) is reflected in the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of itinerant teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing (ITDHHs). A mixed-methods approach was taken to survey 53 ITDHHs about their comfort with teaching SEL, commitment to ongoing professional development in SEL skills, and perceptions of SEL in school cultures. Follow-up interviews with 11 ITDHHs provided a deeper perspective on how these teachers prioritize and teach SEL skills within their unique teaching role.

Cochlear implantation among deaf children with additional disabilities: parental perceptions of benefits, challenges, and service provision.

Although increasing numbers of children with additional disabilities are receiving cochlear implants (CIs), little is known about family perspectives of the benefits and the challenges of cochlear implantation in this pediatric population. This study examines perceptions among parents of deaf children with additional disabilities regarding satisfaction with service provision, benefits, and challenges of the CI process. This was a mixed-methods study, which included a survey and interviews.

Searching for cochlear implant information on the internet maze: implications for parents and professionals.

The present study has three purposes: (a) to determine who disseminates information on cochlear implants on the Web; (b) to describe a representative sample of Web sites that disseminate information on cochlear implants, with a focus on the content topics and their relevance to parents of deaf children; and (c) to discuss the practical issues of Web-based information and its implications for professionals working with parents of deaf children. Using the terms "cochlear implants" and "children," the first 10 sites generated by the four most popular search engines (Google, Yahoo, Microsoft's MSN, and America Online) at two points in time were selected for analysis, resulting in a sample of 31 Web sites. The majority of Web sites represented medically oriented academic departments and government organizations, although a wide variety of other sources containing information about cochlear implants were also located.

Sign language vocabulary development practices and internet use among educational interpreters.

Sign language interpreters working in schools often face isolation in terms of their sign language vocabulary development opportunities. The purposes of this study were to determine the key demographic characteristics of educational interpreters in British Columbia, to identify the resources they use to learn new vocabulary, and to shed light on their Internet use and access levels, with a view to exploring the viability of this resource as a tool for vocabulary development for interpreters working in educational settings. Key demographics associated with interpreters' access to time and materials in advance of a lesson were job title and graduation from an interpreter training program.

The development of an off-therapy needs questionnaire and protocol for survivors of childhood cancer.

The purpose of this project was to obtain input from the families of survivors of childhood cancer regarding their needs surrounding the "coming off treatment" (COT) period. A questionnaire was developed to record their needs, their wishes, and their satisfaction surrounding this period of time. Closer examination of the time surrounding COT was undertaken in an attempt to enhance this area of service for patients and families in our clinic setting.