Many parents react with shock and anger when they are told that their child has hearing problems. This is a natural reaction among the sorrow and frustration such a situation can bring.

Finding out that your child has hearing-problems is always a blow to parents. However, finding out that your child can still live a fully-functional life with a handicap can make the news easier to swallow. Those are the findings of a study at the Ziv Medical Centre in Israel.

Parents who participated in the study repeatedly stated the importance of the formulation of a plan for the future, when they were told the news of their child’s handicap. The time immediately after the detection of childhood hearing loss is perceived as stressful, which makes the need for a plan for the future even more important.

 
Dissatisfaction with the clinics 
 
When asked, patients often complained that the news was broken to them bluntly and without empathy. Despite the fact that the clinics are responsible for delivering the bad news, they have been shown to lack both confidence and skill in performing this basic task. The study concludes, therefore, that an effective strategy when it comes to breaking bad news is paramount. 
 
The study 
 
14 families participated in the study. They were interviewed about their perception of the manner in which the information regarding the detection of their child's hearing loss was given, and what their feelings were at the time. 50% of parents expressed dissatisfaction with the process in which the bad news was broken.

Source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov