In terms of the impact of communication impairments, parents
recognised that deficits affected their child’s independence,
formation of friendships and behaviour. Furthermore, parents
described the stress and concern caused by their child’s communication
impairment.
‘‘This little boy would just be so frustrated that he’d just lash
out...it was awful’’
Children’s frustration, reflected in the general tasks and
demands domain, often resulted from reported limitations in
mobility, language impairment or reduced speech intelligibility.
Frustration resulting from communication breakdowns often
impacted negatively on children’s behaviour, as highlighted below:
That’s probably the biggest thing with his lack of communication...the
frustration. It just brings out behavioural issues.
I think if he could speak a lot clearer and thinking about what
he’s saying quicker so that it comes out quicker, he wouldn’t
get as frustrated. (mother of Mason)
Child’s leisure, early learning and educational activities
Children engaged in a range of activities within the home and
school (e.g. playing in the playground, completing classroom
group tasks and home leisure activities such as watching TV,
playing board games and reading books). Within the school
environment, parents spoke about the physical limitations
experienced by their child particularly in the playground and