Children with Hearing Loss and the Effect it has on Their Vocabulary

Studies on Children with Hearing Loss

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hearing loss can influence the way a child develops language, but getting an early diagnosis and proper treatment for children can help them strengthen these communication skills.  

A study was conducted on 448 children, between the ages of 8 to 39 months, who have hearing loss. These children’s vocabulary (spoken or sign language) abilities were compared to a child who was the same age. Children with hearing loss have been recommended to undergo the EHDI 1-3-6 Guidelines.

The EHDI 1-3-6 Guidelines are as followed:

1. All babies are recommended a hearing screening no later than 1 month of age.  
2. If an infant doesn’t pass their hearing screening, he or she needs to get tested by a hearing specialist as soon as possible. It is recommended that they don’t wait until they are over 3 months old.
3. Intervention services should be used for children who have been diagnosed with hearing loss, as early as possible and no later than 6 months of age.

Newborns who get a hearing screening for hearing loss within a month, have had successful treatment options. In 2014, 96 percent of American children were screened for hearing loss at no later than one month of age. Slightly over 40 percent of children who participated in the screening, did not meet the crucial steps of having their hearing loss diagnosed by 3 months and starting intervention by 6 months. 

The CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities’ objective is to provide all children who have hearing loss with the same opportunities for success as their peers who have normal hearing. The latest studies indicated that children who suffer from hearing loss and get a hearing screening, examination, and intervention services manage to have much better development in vocabulary. 

How to Treat Hearing Loss in Children

Treatment suggestions are as unique as each child and the type of hearing loss that they have. Here are some treatments and interventions to choose from:

• Get a hearing aid device that is properly fitted and programmed for their individual needs.
• Work with a professional, or a team, who can help a child and their family learn about constructive ways to effectively communicate with each other. This could be through sign language.
• Join a support group to talk to people who are in the same situation, and get their advice

​There is further research that is needed to learn how children who have hearing loss can continue to advance their vocabulary as they get older. A child’s family, pediatric healthcare providers, and hearing specialists each play a part in a child’s hearing assessment journey by getting the child tested as soon as possible, and intervening with the right care.

If you, or a loved one, are in need of hearing aids, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing Aids for a hearing test and consultation. 

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