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Hearing Difficulties
HEARING DIFFICULTIES:
Hearing ability depends on the precise, intricate, and accurate functioning of the whole auditory system. When the outer or middle ear malfunctions, a person may experience conductive hearing loss. Sensorineural hearing loss, on the other hand, is manifested when malfunctioning occurs in the inner ear. In some cases, both types of hearing loss occur together; thereby, leading to what is known as mixed hearing loss.
Assessment of hearing loss depends on audiological evaluation by a qualified audiologist. The type of test chosen by the audiologist depends on many variables; among which are the patient's developmental age and level of cooperation.
Treatment usually requires wearing a hearing device (a hearing aid or a cochlear implant) in order to enhance residual hearing ability. The hearing device can be worn on one or two sides; depending on the child's degree of hearing loss in both ears.
Following the hearing device fitting, the patient has to receive language stimulation sessions to work on developing his auditory skills, phonological awareness abilities as well as language and communication skills. Therapy techniques involve many techniques and strategies; all aiming at enhancing the patient's auditory abilities as well as language and communication skills. In some cases, working on speech resonance and clarity is also needed as these can become negatively affected by the impairment of the hearing skills and lack of proper consistent auditory feedback.
AUDITORY-ORAL APPROACH:
In the auditory-oral approach, much of the focus is on speaking and sound production. The teacher uses different types of ‘modeling’ to show the child how to speak correctly. For example, a teacher may use the Highlighting Model to correct partially incorrect words or an Expansion Model that fits in the gaps when a child skips a word or phrase.
AUDITORY-VERBAL APPROACH:
- In the auditory-verbal approach, the focus on listening is much more important.
- In the auditory verbal type of therapy, the family is intimately involved in the learning process, and at least one parent must attend therapy sessions so that they can learn how to continue the learning process at home. In this approach, the parent becomes the teacher. In the auditory-oral approach a speech therapist acts as the primary teacher.