Australian Families of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Are They Using Sign?

Background
Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children may experience communication delays, irrespective of early intervention (EI) and technology. Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is one approach in EI to address language delays, but use remains low. Previous reports suggested less than 10% of Australian families use Auslan. With recent changes to Australian EI (parent support, bilingual therapists, increased access to services/funding), the present study examined the current use of Auslan.

Methods
This retrospective study analysed data from 997 families that participated in the Victorian Childhood Hearing Longitudinal Databank (VicCHILD) between 2012 and 2021 and consented to de-identified data being used. Hearing and family demographics (independent variables) were collated, and their association with parental reports of communication approach (dependent variables) was examined.

Aims
The first aim was to identify the proportion of families who used Auslan compared to spoken language at home with their DHH child. The second aim was to explore relationships between hearing and family factors, and the families` reported use of Auslan.

Results

There were 87 out of 997 parents (8.7%) who reported using Auslan. Of these 87, 26 (2.6%) used Auslan as their primary language with the DHH child, and 61 (6.1%) used Auslan as their secondary language. Markers of hearing loss severity (bilateral, profound, and hearing aid/CI use) were associated with using Auslan. Family history of deafness and attendance at EI were also associated with Auslan use.

Conclusion
The study found that 8.7% of families reported using Auslan at home, similar to past reports in the literature. That is, despite recent changes in Australian EI to incorporate Auslan, small numbers of families are reporting its use. Further research is required to understand parental decision-making and family demographics regarding the use of Auslan.