Keywords: mode of communication, sign language, oral/aural communication
Modes of Communication
One of the challenges that families face as they welcome a new family member who is deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) is the choice of the mode of communication to use when the child grows. Some preferences may be based on caregiver’s suggestions or family’s convenience, but whatever mode of communication is considered to be used, it must have relevance to the kid and is consistent with the communication method used in the school the kid goes to.
Scheetz (2012) confirmed that some of the communication issues for families with DHH kids that influence their communication method decisions are: background knowledge and understanding of deafness, initial viewpoints heard from …show more content…
The disadvantages of oral-aural communication, however, include the following: it requires ongoing auditory management (which means unending appointments with audiologists, ENT, etc.) and early consistent use of hearing technology (hearing aids, FM system, and cochlear implants), which exposes a DHH child to risks of ear infections and other ear