Investigation of mothers' opinions on language experiences provided to children with cochlear implants and hearing loss

This study examined mothers' views on the language experiences of children with hearing loss and cochlear implants. The study included seven children with severe hearing loss, aged between four and six, and their hearing mothers. The study's data were collected through semi-structured interviews, observations (video recordings), researcher diaries, document reviews, and products. The collected data were analyzed descriptively. The findings of the study included the recognition of hearing loss in the pre-cochlear implant process, the use of hearing aids, the problems experienced by mothers and their solutions, having a cochlear implant during the cochlear implant process, the difficulties experienced by mothers and their solutions, and the mothers' expectations. The post-cochlear implant process included the daily routines that mothers established with their children with hearing loss, the types of activities that mothers did with their children, and how and where they did the activities. As a result of the study, it was observed that mothers sometimes had verbal interaction with their children with hearing loss, sometimes verbal and non-verbal interaction, and occasionally non-verbal interaction. The necessity of early diagnosis, early fitting of hearing aid, involvement in family-centered early intervention programs, and quality verbal interactions in a rich linguistic environment in the language experiences of children with hearing loss has been determined.