It’s a sign: Considerations for evaluating pediatric Deaf and hard of hearing clients

Note: Throughout this article we use identity-first language (i.e., Deaf and hard of hearing children) to recognize culture and pride (Wooldridge, 2023).

It is estimated that between 30% and 40% of Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) children have developmental concerns that may require occupational therapy intervention (Alkhamra & Abu-Dahab, 2020; Meinzen-Derr et al., 2022). Sensory challenges associated with vestibular, proprioceptive, and bilateral integration are a common reason for referral among the D/HH population, including increased rates of sensory processing challenges among children with cochlear implants when compared with those with hearing aids (Alkhamra & Abu-Dahab, 2020). Hearing loss may also impact the child’s social-emotional skills (e.g., emotional regulation), motor skills (e.g., balance), and process skills (e.g., attention).