LANGUAGE PREFERENCE AND COMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT OF A HEARING AND DEAF TWIN PAIR

This observational study examined the development and use of communica tion in a pair of deaf and hearing monozygotic twins from 13 months of age until 36 months of age, One twin contracted meningitis at 7 month s, leaving her profoundly deaf but without other measurable sequelae. The other twin is normal in all respects, The prelingual twins were en rolled in a total communication preschool program where, with their pa rents, they participated in activities designed to enhance the languag e skills of deaf children, The twins were videotaped monthly, first at their preschool program and later at home, Ad forms of communication were recorded, including signs, vocalizations, and hand and body gestu res. Additionally, eye gaze direction and body positions during commun ication were noted, Comparisons between the deaf and hearing twins sho wed that although both children were able to learn language and commun icate successfully, the hearing twin preferred a vocal form of languag e, whereas the deaf twin used mostly sign language, Moreover, the hear ing twin's communication was usually responsive, while the deaf twin's communication was comprised mostly of imitative signs and gestures, M ethods of teaching a profoundly deaf child to communicate are discusse d.