Georgia State University Series:

Early Intervention with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Part 1, Presentation 3

July 2001

Orientation to Hearing Loss

Aren’t all babies who have hearing loss the same?

No. There are different

levels of hearing loss

ranging from mild to

profound. In addition,

two people with the

same level of loss will

have different hearing

characteristics.

There are many variables that may effect the progress

of your child.• Age of onset• Etiology• Degree of loss• Type of loss• Use of amplification

devices• Health of the child• Involvement of the

family• Accompanying

disabilities

Etiology

• Unknown• High Risk Factors• Meningitis• Congenital Infections

– Congenital Rubella– CMV– Toxoplasmosis

Hearing losses can be:

Congenital or acquired

Affect one or both ears

Fluctuate or remain constant

Can be the result of developmental

differences in various parts of the

ear

Can be the result of illness

Degrees of Loss

• Minimal (Borderline): 15 to 25 dB • Mild: 26 to 40 dB • Moderate: 41 to 55 dB • Moderate to Severe 56 to 76 dB • Severe: 71 to 90 dB • Profound: 90dB +

Slight Loss 15-25 dB

• No significant speech and language delays

• Hearing abilities should be tested on a regular basis

Mild Loss 26-40dB

• Possible difficulty hearing faint /distant speech

• May benefit from hearing aid as loss goes toward 40dB

• Will not usually have difficulty in school

• Need vocabulary work

• Needs favorable seating and lighting in school

• May need to speech read to increase understanding of what is spoken

• May need speech therapy to correct mispronounced sounds

Moderate Loss 41-55dB

• Understands speaker face to face at 3-5 feet

• May miss 50% of class discussion

• Child referred to special education to determine support needs

• May have limited vocabulary

• Problems pronouncing some speech sounds

• Benefit from FM System

• Need favorable seating

Moderately Severe Loss 56-70 dB

• Conversation must be loud to hear it

• Needs a hearing aid• Difficulty in group

activities• Likely to be deficient

in language use and comprehension

• Need special help in language, grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing

• Attends to visual and auditory situations

• Need resource teacher, special class or tutor

With hearing aid, Can hear:

• Clock ticking• Liquid pouring• Snapping fingers• Doorbell• Knock at door

• Radio at normal level• Voices• Singing• conversation

Severe Loss 71-90 dB

• May hear loud voices about 12” from the ear

• Speech and language development delayed

• Speech and language will not develop spontaneously if loss is present before age 2

• May be able to discriminate vowels but not all consonants

• Education program needs special emphasis on language skills, concept development, speech, communication skill development

• May be placed in regular class part time

• May benefit from using sign language

With Hearing Aid, Can hear:

Thunder

Telephone ringing

Alarm clock

Piano

Auto horn

• Radio at louder than average level

• Group singing• Loud shots• Baby crying

Profound Loss 90 dB or more

• May hear some loud sounds, is aware of vibrations more than tones

• Hearing aid is necessary• Relies on vision as

primary avenue for communication

• May need alternatives to hearing aid

• Continuous assessment of communication needs is required

• Use of sign language will be helpful

• Speech therapy needed for functional communication development

With hearing aid, Can hear:

• Organ

• Audience applauding

• Heavy objects dropped on a hard floor

• Banging door

• Large deep bell

Types of Loss

• Conductive : A change in hearing due to reduction in sound transmission through the outer ear, middle ear, or both (Ex. Otitis Media)

• Sensorineural: A change in hearing due to damage to structures within the cochlea, to the VIII cranial nerve, or to both

• Mixed: Conductive and sensorineural hearing loss occurring simultaneously

ABILITY TO HEAR SPEECH WITH A HEARING LOSS

NORMAL Freddie thought he should find a whistle

M I L D Freddie though- -e -ould -ind a whi-le

MODERATE -reddie -ough- -e -ould -i- a -i-le

PROFOUND LOUDsoft LOUD soft soft LOUD soft LOUDsoft

The Speech Banana

Most sounds associated with

speech are found within the shaded

area of the audiogram

affectionately referred to as the speech banana.

Impact on Development

• Language Learning• Education• Cognition• Social-Emotional

Development• Communication

Impact (continued)

“Without early intervention, the deaf infant will be delayed in normal developmental processes- self confidence, intellectual curiosity, good social relations, and the ability to use language to communicate and further the learning process.”

Hayes & Northern, 1996

Hearing Aid and Cochlear Implant Facts

Caregivers musthave realistic expectations for the hearing aid.

ALL sound is amplified, not just

speech.

Amplification devices, including hearing aids, do

not restore hearing to normal.A person with a hearing loss will

never have “normal” hearing.

Facts (Continued)

• 92-95% of those who are deaf have SOME hearing. This is called residual hearing.

• The goal is to maximize your child’s use of his or her residual hearing.

• It is extremely important for parents to understand that hearing aid use is an ongoing process due to changes in hearing loss, growth of the ear canal and advances in technology.

• Children as young as 4 weeks old can be fitted with a hearing aid

The FDA has approved Cochlear Implantation for children who:

• Have a profound hearing loss in both ears

• Receive little or no benefit from hearing aids

• Have not other medical conditions that would make surgery risky

• Are involved, along with the parents, in all aspects of the informed consent process

Cochlear Implant Facts(Continued)

• Understand, along with the parents, his or her individual role in successful use

• Have, along with the parents, realistic expectations

• Are willing to be involved in intensive habilitation services

• Have support from educational programs to emphasize the development of auditory skills

Patience- teach your child how to use the sound available to them, which will require many modifications. Be patient!

Access- amplification will give your child access to the speech signal.

Relevance- make all interactions with the child meaningful.

Expectations- high, but realistic, expectations for your child are critical.

Nurture- provide an abundance of affection.

Time- learning speech and language through listening is an ongoing process.

Success- what you put in is what you get out!

GlossaryAssistive Listening Devices (ALDs)- refers to systems that

improve the signal-to-noise ratio by transmitting amplified sound directly to the listener and transforms sound into a visual or tactile signal.

 Audiogram- table that summarizes how loud a sound must be at

a particular frequency for an individual to hear it Bilateral- affecting both ears. Cochlea- the osseous (bony) portion of the inner ear which

surrounds the organ of hearing. Decibels (dB)- used to express sound pressure. 

Frequency- perceived by people as the “pitch”- low or high spectrum of sound.

 Inner Ear- the area beyond the bones of the middle ear

space; includes the cochlea. Mastoid Bone- the lower portion of the temporal bone

which lies just behind the ear.

Residual Hearing- the amount of hearing that is left when a hearing loss is present.

Speech Banana- an area on an audiogram (which holds

the shape of a banana) that covers the frequency

area in which speech sounds are produced.

Unilateral- affecting one ear.