Health-related quality of life among mothers of children with cochlear implants with and without developmental disabilities.

Zaidman-Zait et al. (2023) asked mothers of children with cochlear implants to fill out a survey. Some kids also had a developmental disability. The team wanted to know if moms of these dual-diagnosis kids felt worse than moms whose kids only had hearing loss.

The survey measured health-related quality of life. That is how much energy, pain, mood, and social support a person feels day to day.

Mothers of children with both a cochlear implant and a developmental disability scored much lower on quality of life. Social support helped only this group. Moms of kids with just hearing loss did not get the same boost.

Al-Janabi et al. (2025) ran a similar survey with 248 Iraqi parents of autistic children. They also found that moms, younger parents, and parents of girls reported lower quality of life. The two studies together show that mothers of children with any developmental condition need extra support.

Emerson (2003) looked at mothers of children with intellectual disability in the UK. That paper found poverty and stress hurt moms, but mental-health screening rates barely rose once money problems were counted. Anat’s 2023 study adds that social support can still lift moms even when money is tight.

Meinzen-Derr et al. (2011) studied the same group of kids—those with cochlear implants plus developmental disability—but focused on language scores. Their work shows these children already lag behind matched hearing peers. Anat’s finding links that language gap to lower mom well-being, pointing to a family-wide impact.

If you work with families of children who are deaf plus have a developmental disability, plan to check mom’s quality of life at every visit. Offer concrete social supports—parent groups, respite hours, or quick calls from a peer mentor. One easy step: add a single question on your intake form—“Who helps you when you need a break?”—and follow up if the answer is “no one.”