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Auditory Learning for Children with Hearing Loss

Today, regardless of the severity of a child’s hearing loss, they have more opportunities to be successful with spoken language than ever before. More than 94% of newborns are screened for hearing loss prior to leaving the hospital or birthing center. Through this early identification of hearing loss, a child can receive hearing aids as soon as four weeks of age, thus allowing them access to auditory learning much earlier than in previous generations.

Then, in most states, these children are enrolled in an Early Intervention Birth to Three program and begin to use their amplified residual hearing to learn to listen and talk. Parents, caregivers and intervention staff monitor the child’s progress closely. If the child doesn’t make satisfactory progress with hearing aids, or if their hearing loss is very severe, a cochlear implant may be considered. By identifying hearing loss early, fitting the child with appropriate hearing technology, and enrolling them in early intervention programs that emphasize auditory learning, many children can achieve spoken language that equals their hearing peers by the time they reach kindergarten or first grade.

Many children with hearing loss are born into families where the parents are hearing themselves and consequently most parents want their child to maximize his or her ability to develop spoken language. This allows the child to use the same communication found commonly within the home as well as with other family members and community members in general.

Auditory-Verbal Therapy

The Auditory-Verbal approach has been in existence since the early 1900s, but the practice has gained more popularity since the introduction of cochlear implants in children in the early 1990s. In the typical Auditory-Verbal model, the use of listening is the primary mode of input for the child. Visual cues, such as speechreading, are not emphasized. Most sessions occur one to two times each week with a trained professional, parent(s), and child. Most importantly, the family is again the primary ‘therapist’ through this approach. That is, the parent is taught how to facilitate speech, language, and cognition through listening and how to integrate these strategies into the daily routines at home. The ultimate goal is for the child to develop age-appropriate language abilities and eventually be mainstreamed with other typical hearing children.

The Auditory-Oral Approach

Similarly, the Auditory-Oral approach maximizes the child’s use of amplified hearing and seeks to train the parent in appropriate strategies to integrate listening, speech and language into daily routines. The basic philosophy of Auditory-Oral education – that children with hearing loss can learn to speak with proper training – has been around for centuries. More recently, because of advances in hearing technology (e.g., digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, and FM systems), most children who are deaf or hard of hearing can be more successful oral communicators than in the past. With the Auditory-Oral approach more visual cues, such as speechreading, may be used as a teaching technique, and children with hearing loss may be grouped together for early intervention programs or in the educational setting. The long-term goal is for these children to be mainstreamed with typical hearing peers in their neighborhood school.

Due to advances in newborn hearing screening, early identification of hearing loss, the fitting or prescription of advanced hearing technology such as digital hearing aids, cochlear implants, and FM systems, and the availability of appropriate early intervention, most children with hearing loss can be successful communicators with an approach that promotes auditory learning.

It all comes down to parent choice. In order to help parents make this important decision, they should speak with other parents about their experiences, get multiple opinions from professionals who are highly trained and knowledgeable and observe programs and/or schools first-hand. Above all, don’t be afraid to ask very tough questions about outcomes and options. Once the parent(s) has obtained a range of information about the available options, they can make an informed decision about the services, intervention, or educational placement they desire for their child with hearing loss.

For more information about these spoken language options and other related topics, please visit the following websites:

AG Bell Academy for Listening and Spoken Language
www.agbellacademy.org

Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell)
www.agbell.org

American Speech-Hearing-Language Association (ASHA)
www.asha.org

BEGINNINGS for Parents of Children Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Inc.
www.ncbegin.org

Hear and Now
www.hearandnow.org

National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM)
www.infanthearing.org