Language not auditory experience is related to parent-reported executive functioning in preschool-aged deaf and hard-of-hearing children

Although hearing parents of deaf babies have often been pressured to pursue cochlear implant surgery for their children to prevent cognitive delays, new research shows it is language, not sound, that ensures normal brain development. This means sign language is just as effective in helping babies develop properly, something that may seem obvious to most, but has been a source of debate in the scientific community. The study helps shift researchers’ understanding of the cause of these delays towards early exposure to language, not deafness.

You can read the full study here.