HearingSounds and Silences
By: Erin Sanders
Emily Chandler
The Hearing System
External, middle, and inner ear
Defining Hearing Loss
Commonly effects the receptive and expressive development of spoken language
Different degrees- slight, mild, moderate, severe, and profound
Hearing loss depends on many variables: Severity Age of onset Age at discovery Age at intervention
Hearing loss after spoken language is learned usually has less impact on speech and language
Prevalence and Incidence
10-15% of children who receive hearing screenings at school fail the screening; however, these children have a transient conductive hearing loss
Fewer than 1.3% of children younger than 18 years have a hearing impairment
Causes
Hearing losses present at birth are congenital
Hearing losses developed after birth are acquired
Traditionally hearing loss is 1/3 genetic, 1/3 acquired, and 1/3 unknown
More recently, research indicates at least ½ of hearing loss is genetic
Causes
Genetic Cleft palate
Pre, Peri, and Postnatal Factors Exposure to viruses, bacteria, and other toxins such as drugs
prior to or following birth Infections
Intrauterine and following birth, rubella, toxoplasmosis, herpes, syphilis, and cytomegalovirus
Middle Ear Disease Trauma Ototoxic Agents
antibiotics used to treat severe bacterial infections may be toxic to the cochlea
Identification
The average age is 2.5 years with the initial intervention being give at 3.5 years
Testing at younger is possibleIdentification and intervention prior to age
6 months, regardless of degree of hearing loss, can lead to typical communicative development by age 3
Early Intervention
Family adaptation to and acceptance of special needs
Integrate with community servicesParent support groupsDecisions about future options
Amplification
Hearing aids, assistive listening devicesUsed by children of any ageShould be fitted as soon as persistent or
permanent hearing loss has been identified
Surgical Interventions
Cochlear implants
Modifications of Classroom for Young Children with Cochlear Implants
Barrier wallsCarpeted wallsDraperiesAcoustic ceiling tilesTennis balls on chair legs in rooms without
carpet
Communication and Education
Education and intervention should focus on developing listening skills, and all aspects of language including syntax and grammar, increasing speech or sign language production or expanding vocabulary
Different language learning options include: Oralism Cued speech American Sign Language Total communication English-based sign system Bilingual-bicultural approach
Communication and Education
Students should receive instruction and specialized curriculum areas: Deaf studies Use of assistive technology ASL Speech and speech reading Auditory training Social skills Career and vocational education
Language-Learning Options
Oral educational methods emphasize the teaching of: listening skills Speechreading speech articulation Including cued speech
English-oriented sign systems combine to represent the English sentence structure: ASL vocabulary coined signs fingerspelling
Total communication incorporates oral and manual communication modes such as: listening skills speech reading English oriented signing or ASL gestures/mime anything that facilitates comprehension
Bi-lingual and bi-cultural proposes that children must first be immersed in ASL so they have full access to and acquire the meaningful use of a language before they can attain spoken language
Speech Development
Need to focus on: Rhyming Sequential tasks Written words Initial consonants Vowels Fricative sounds (“f” and “z”)
Classroom Accommodations
Talk to the child and not the aidProvide lots of visualsUse sign and spoken language togetherProviding material ahead of timeTreat the child like any other child in your
classroom
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