Can you hear me now?
No, I’m not talking about the old Verizon commercial here…
Such a simple question with such deep meaning when we think about language development.
Let me digress for a just a second…
Sometimes I have to step back and remind myself of all that I’m grateful for.
As I’m writing this, it’s November, and the holiday season for many of us is a chance for reflection and remembrance.
Yes, I’m grateful for my family and friends.
Yes, I’m grateful for my business and the clients I serve.
Yes, I’m grateful for shelter and transportation.
But I’m also grateful for a capable body that can move without assistance.
And I’m grateful for the ability to see and tell the difference between whether something is close to me or far away.
As I’m sitting here in a coffee shop listening to music on my headphones, I’m reminded that I am also grateful for the ability to hear clearly.
Through my headphones I can hear the barista clanging dishes and conversations at a nearby table. And I’m grateful for the ability to tune out background noise to focus on what’s important.
Hearing
Like any of our sensory systems, is important to monitor as our children develop, as it can affect so many other aspects of life.
Specifically for children, when hearing is impaired, the areas of the brain that are related to communication are also affected. That means that hearing and speaking become more difficult.
Think about the last time you’ve been swimming. Or in a crowded restaurant. Or when your ears were plugged up coming down from a plane ride.
If you can’t hear what the person next to you is saying, the conversation is interrupted…
You ask them to repeat their question.
You answer their question and they give you a funny look cause your response didn’t match the question.
You yell a bit louder than you should cause you can’t hear and monitor your voice volume.
Now imagine that was your experience all day long, day in and day out.
How Do I Know If I Should Be Concerned?
Hearing impairments in children often look differently than in adults…
- They may not respond to their name when you call
- Maybe they have trouble pronouncing certain speech sounds
- They might be inconsistent in following your directions
- Their vocabulary and grammar skills may be behind their peers
- It’s possible they have trouble following classroom routines
- Learning to read can be more difficult for them
Ok, so NOW WHAT??
Sometimes parents know from an early age that their children have a hearing impairment.
Perhaps it’s due to a genetic factor, chromosomal abnormality, or anatomical difference.
As difficult as that news may be to digest, it’s actually a real advantage for a child to be identified so early.
It gives families an opportunity to weigh the benefits and limitations of getting a cochlear implant, and at the very least start with early intervention services.
There are some strongly opinionated views from both the Deaf community and the Hearing community as to the effectiveness and necessity of cochlear implants, but we’re not gonna get into that debate here.
All I can suggest is for you to sit down as a family and consider the long-term plan for your child and your family. Talk to people who have opted for cochlear implants and those who have not to hear their experience. Then make the decision that is best for YOUR family and stand firm in knowing that what is best for YOU may not be best for others.
But then there are the kiddos who may have hearing impairments that go undetected for a few years. Those could be trickier to catch, so it’s important to seek the advice from trusted professionals.
One of the major key players in this conversation should be an audiologist.
Pediatric audiologists help to assess and diagnose children with hearing impairments. They can talk with you about how your child’s hearing will affect their development. Audiologists can also recommend a plan for treatment, which will likely include therapy from a speech-language pathologist and an occupational therapist. Audiologists also play a role in the fitting and maintenance of hearing aids, as well as the programming and monitoring for cochlear implants.
ACTION STEPS:
- Use this checklist to determine if there are red flags that require further investigation into possible hearing impairments. Print the list and take it to your pediatrician to discuss.
- If you suspect a hearing impairment, search for an audiologist in your area and ask them to conduct an evaluation. You may need a referral from your pediatrician first. The American Academy of Audiology and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) both have directories you can use to search for an audiologist in your area.