Why Hearing Screening is Essential Before Speech Therapy for Kids
A hearing screening is an essential step before a speech therapy assessment for children. This is because hearing plays a crucial role in speech and language development, and any undiagnosed hearing loss can significantly impact a child’s ability to learn and communicate effectively. Understanding if there is a loss—and the type and severity—is important before starting speech therapy.
What Is a Hearing Screening?
A hearing screening is a quick test that can identify if your child needs further hearing testing. It produces a pass/fail result and does not provide detailed information about your child’s hearing. If your child passes, they show no signs of hearing loss. If they fail, they should be referred for a hearing evaluation with an audiologist as soon as possible.
Why Are Hearing Screenings Important?
Early Detection: While 97.9% of newborn babies in the United States have a hearing screening shortly after birth, some types of hearing loss may not be identified at this stage. These include late-onset hearing loss, progressive hearing loss, frequency-specific loss, and minimal loss.
Impact on Development: Hearing loss can affect speech, language acquisition, and academic performance. Regular screenings ensure that any issues are caught early.
Mandatory in Many Cases: Hearing screenings are often required before speech and language assessments, as well as at key stages in school (e.g., kindergarten, first grade, and beyond).
What to Expect From a Hearing Screening
Hearing screenings can be conducted by an audiologist, nurse, pediatrician, trained teacher, or speech-language pathologist. Here’s what typically happens:
Instructions: The tester will give simple instructions and practice with your child, such as raising their hand when they hear a sound.
The Test: Your child will wear headphones and be asked to respond (e.g., raise their hand) when they hear a tone played for 1-2 seconds.
For very young children who cannot follow verbal instructions, specialized techniques are used:
Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs): A small probe is placed in the ear to measure sounds produced by the inner ear in response to a stimulus.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): Electrodes are placed on the child’s head to measure how the auditory nerve and brainstem respond to sounds.
Behavioral Observation Audiometry (BOA): The tester observes the child’s natural responses to sounds, such as eye movements or head turns.
What Is a Hearing Evaluation?
If your child fails a hearing screening, they will need a hearing evaluation, a more comprehensive test conducted by an audiologist. Here’s what to expect:
Tympanometry: This test checks how well the eardrum moves and can identify issues like fluid in the middle ear or a perforated eardrum.
Hearing Test: Depending on your child’s age, they may respond to sounds by looking at a toy, placing a peg in a board, or raising their hand.
Results and Recommendations: The audiologist will explain the type and severity of any hearing loss and discuss treatment options, such as hearing aids or other interventions.
Support for Children With Hearing Loss
Children with hearing loss may require special support, accommodations, or direct services like therapy with a deaf and hard-of-hearing specialist, special educator, or speech-language pathologist. Here are some examples of supports and accommodations:
1. Hearing Amplification
Hearing Aids: These devices amplify sounds, helping children hear speech more clearly and develop language skills.
Benefits: Improved speech and language development, better social interactions, enhanced safety, and increased confidence.
2. Classroom Accommodations
Personal FM Systems: The teacher wears a microphone, and the child wears a receiver connected to their hearing device, making it easier to hear in noisy environments.
Sound-Field FM Systems: These amplify the teacher’s voice through speakers, benefiting the entire class.
Specialized Seating: Place the child close to the teacher and ensure they can see the speaker’s face clearly.
3. Home and Environmental Adjustments
Reduce Background Noise: Turn off electronics, close windows, and use soft furnishings like rugs and curtains to minimize echo.
Visual Cues: Use gestures, facial expressions, and written information to supplement auditory input.
Flashing Alarms: Install visual fire alarms to alert children with hearing loss.
Signs to Watch For
If your child is not meeting typical speech and language milestones, it may be a sign of hearing loss. Here are some key indicators:
By 24 months, your child should be combining two words (e.g., “more juice,” “big truck”).
By 36 months, they should be using early grammar markers like -ing and plural -s.
If your child is not showing progress in their speech or has difficulty being understood, consider consulting a speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
Conclusion
Hearing screening is a critical step before a speech therapy assessment for children. It helps identify any undiagnosed hearing loss that could significantly impact their ability to learn and communicate effectively. Timely identification and support for hearing loss are crucial for children to fully access the sounds in their world.
If you have concerns about your child’s hearing or speech development, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for guidance. Early intervention can make all the difference!