Kansas City

Frequently Asked Questions

Early Identification

What are the first signs that parents should look for when they are suspicious of a hearing loss?

Unless a family has reason to expect the possibility of a hearing loss, some of the early signs may be missed. It is important to test the child's hearing as soon as you suspect that there may be a problem. If there is a hearing loss, it can be assessed and when appropriate, the baby can be fitted with hearing aids. You should be concerned if you notice that:

• Your infant does not startle to loud or sudden noises, or turn toward sound.
• By 8 months, the baby is not cooing, babbling, or laughing.
• By 12 months, the child is not trying to imitate sounds and actions in turn-taking games or doe not understand simple commands.

Speak to your pediatrician and ask for a hearing test for your child. Additional testing may be required to conclusively demonstrate hearing loss, but early identification leads to early intervention and can open up a lifetime of hearing.

Early identification and subsequent follow up on recommended services are essential for the future listening and speaking success of deaf and hard of hearing children. The most critical period of time for language development is during the first six years of a child's life. It is vitally important that children have access to sound via hearing aids or cochlear implants as early as possible.

Hearing aids and cochlear implants do not "fix" deafness and language delays. These pieces of technology allow most children to hear sounds that they can, overtime, to imitate and code into language. This process of learning how to make use of technology is ongoing. Early intervention specialists begin working with families when the child is only a few weeks old. In this family centered approach, early intervention specialists work closely with parents to teach them to incorporate language into daily activities. Infants who have just been fitted with hearing aids need to be taught to pay attention to sound and discriminate one environmental sound from another. Families are taught to make use of every opportunity for listening and speaking in order to help infants and toddlers learn to identify sound and attach meaning to it. Parents are the first teachers of their children and our trained staff model and assist them in their efforts.

Communication Options

A broad continuum of communication and learning options exist for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Some families choose exclusively spoken language, while others choose exclusively signed language, and there are also various combinations of spoken and signed languages. As a parent, you should choose the communication option that is the best for your child and your family.

Auditory-Oral Education and Auditory-Verbal Therapy

These approaches are based on the principle that most deaf and hard-of-hearing children can be taught to listen and speak with early amplification, early intervention and consistent training to develop hearing potential. Primary emphasis is placed upon audition (hearing) to acquire speech. Studies have shown language skills - including phonologic systems and syntax - are based on auditory function. Auditory-oral education allows a child to process information cognitively and auditorially and then apply that knowledge to reading - thus increasing literacy rates.

Sign Language: American Sign Language (ASL)

ASL is a language that is communicated entirely through hand signs, gestures, and facial expression. ASL is not signed English as it has its own grammar and syntax. Children can learn sign at almost any time in their development.

Total Communication (TC)

This technique combines auditory training, the teaching of spoken language and signing exact English (SEE). SEE is a manual code for English, which tries to achieve a one-to-one correspondence with English words and syntax.

Why Choose an Auditory-Oral Education?

• The goal of auditory-oral education is to provide children with the ability to listen and speak like people with normal hearing. Primary emphasis is placed on developing listening and speech skills, however, auditory-oral education also helps children build self-esteem, independence, creativity, and problem solving skills.
• Advances in auditory technology have made it easier for hard-of-hearing and deaf children to learn to listen and speak well at very young ages.
• Children who can speak orally may communicate more easily in a hearing world as they will not require the services of an interpreter.
• Most deaf children are born to hearing parents. Auditory-oral education will facilitate easier communication and interactions with family and friends.
• Children taught with the auditory-oral option may have more personal options throughout their lives: schools, careers, friends, hobbies and activities.
• Studies have shown that deaf and hard of hearing children have increased literacy rates when educated through auditory-oral techniques. Increased literacy may lead to better career opportunities and a better standard of living.