Listen to Us: Dad-Endorsed Strategies for EHDI Professionals

While fathers play an increasingly important role in today’s families, there is an imbalance of research regarding fathers of children with disabilities compared to mothers. Modest research with mothers of children who are deaf/hard of hearing exists; however, very limited research is available specific to fathers of that population. With the advent of newborn hearing screening, the number of children who have hearing loss being identified within the first six months of life has significantly increased. Thus, the number of fathers participating in EHDI services has also increased. Seeking to answer the question, What do fathers’ experiences in the early intervention process tell professionals about family-centered practice?, this article synthesizes the available research into actionable steps EHDI professionals can take to foster more effective parent-professional relationships with fathers of children with hearing loss. Discussion is offered regarding implementation of these action steps as part of family-centered early intervention that considers the needs of fathers in the context of the whole family system