Deaf children's experiences of hearing in everyday life: a systematic review.

Despite the recognition that deaf children and young people's (CYP) experiences should be central to practice and policy that promotes inclusion, relatively few studies have explored deaf CYP's perspectives concerning their everyday hearing experiences. This systematic review identified and synthesized qualitative research exploring deaf CYP's experiences of hearing in everyday contexts. Searches identified 31 papers that met the inclusion criteria. Using thematic synthesis to analyze findings, four themes were identified. The experience of hearing was individualised and influenced by the sounds that CYP could hear, the environment, and supportive strategies. Challenging listening conditions and strategies to manage the experience of hearing were identified, which may be considered by parents, practitioners and policymakers. However, due to the multiple factors that influence hearing, deaf CYP should be consulted on what they find challenging and the strategies they find helpful. Further research exploring deaf CYP's experiences of hearing outside of school is needed.