Developmental changes in Speech and Language Skills in NZ Children with significant hearing loss across 4.5 -5.5 years of age

Abstract

Children with significant hearing loss have generally been reported to have delays in speech and language development as a consequence of the challenges posed to the input of language. There has been some evidence that children may struggle to make a year’s progress in a chronological year, due to these challenges. However there have been significant changes in diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss in children over recent decades, this may well have led to differences in the developmental patterns of speech and language development in these children. Ongoing research into this changing picture is therefore required. This paper will report on recent data obtained in a study of preschool children with hearing impairment in NZ. Part of the study involved assessing speech and language development in a group of 7 children around the middle of their fifth year (aged c. 4½) and then re-assessing them after they had entered school, a year later. Both standardised tests and sample analyses were carried out on both occasions, to obtain an in-depth picture of communication skills. Results have revealed that these children were not generally falling further behind in developmental terms, as measured against their normally developing peers. These children all were the beneficiaries of substantial investment in hearing aids, early diagnosis, and early intervention programmes, and it would seem these efforts are paying off. This would suggest that clinicians should continue to support intensive early input for hearing and for language. However the variability seen in the group raises some issues for clinical practice. This study could not ascertain causes for these differences, but it did uncover some aspects of parent-child interactions which have implications for practitioners. These and some other issues that still present challenges will be discussed