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pathways to parenting
hearing
and how it affects
speech
hearing
is critical to
child
ren?s
speech
development because they use their ears to learn to articulate words and communicate. a
child
experiencing
hearing
loss can easily fall behind in his
speech
development. nicole b. stockstill, audiologist at the emerge center, says, ?these delays can appear as simple articulation errors or may be more complex. more severe
hearing
loss can cause
speech
articulation and language delays because the
child
cannot receive auditory information needed to learn normal
speech
and language patterns.? however, early intervention can be beneficial. if you suspect your
child
has
hearing
loss, there are visible signs to monitor. some of those signs include not responding to his or her name when called, turning up the volume on electronic devices, answering questions incorrectly when asked, and not reacting to or being alarmed by loud sounds. if you witness any of these signs, contact your
child
?s doctor for a
hearing
test. stockstill shares, ?
child
ren?s
hearing
should be tested at birth, and then at least once a year. the earlier
hearing
loss is discovered, the better
speech
and language can develop closer to a normal timeline.? treatment varies depending on the level of
hearing
loss and
speech
delay, but
speech
therapy is used most often. for parents looking to help, stockstill adds, ?parents can model good
speech
patterns by making their
child
look at them when they speak, exaggerating how certain sounds are made, and praising the
child
for good articulation.? if you have concerns about your
child
?s
hearing
and
speech
, contact your
child
?s physician. december 2016 | brparents.com 17
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