Hearing loss and speech?

Question

My son is 3 and he has a conductive hearing loss that is caused by fluid in his ears. He is scheduled to get tubed put in his ears. His speech is very delayed but the doctor says that he shouldn't need speech therapy. My question is, what are some things that I can do at home to help bring his speech up to where it should be after he has the tubes in and can hear better?

Answer 1

I was a speech pathologist for 20yrs and worked with many children who had speech delay resulting from conductive hearing loss. I disagree with the other answers that suggested drilling your child with flash cards, or similar tools. You are not a therapist; you are his mother, and are not trained to fix his speech problems.
The best thing you can do, once the tubes are in, is speak with him as you would any child. Modeling good speech, reading to him, age-appropriate games, and simply playing with him are all great things you can do to help him along.
If he continues to have difficulty six months after he gets his tubes, it is then appropriate to have him assessed by a speech pathologist. His ENT can refer you.

Answer 2

Hi, I'm an Audiologist (hearing and balance specialist)
with a Bachelor's degree in Speech/Language

Yes, your child will likely hear better after the tubes have been placed. This should be confirmed with a Pediatric Audiologic Evaluation from 2-6 weeks after the surgery.

Birth through 5 years of age are the prime years of the development of the speech/language centers of the brain. Your child has just 2 years left to make the most of this developmental stage. Some kids do bounce back on their own, while others continue to struggle. Many factors play a role in this; and there is no predicting it.

I agree with the former Speech Pathologist that says you should not drill him -- the kids typically resent it if pressure is placed on them from the family, and often become too self-conscious. NEVER tease or show impatience. However, I would not wait 6 months post surgery to have him evaluated.

At the age of 3, your local school district is responsible to provide intervention for children with special needs. Contact their special services department and request a speech/language evaluation for some day after his hearing test has been performed. The evaluation is performed at no cost to you, and if he meets the criteria of impairment, they will also provide therapy services.

If his speech impediment is not severe enough to warrant their services, the therapist will give you recommendations based on his specific areas of difficulty. If he is not often around kids his own age, enroll him in a PreSchool where he will have to interact with other kids. Most children are very motivated when they want to interact with other kids.

Answer 3

There are many things you can do. Since you know that the problem is with hearing, you need to make sure to speak slowly and clearly when talking to him. Since the hearing loss has distorted his version of hearing for all this time, he needs to have very clear models for when the tubes are put in. Many children can simply pick up the delay when they get ear tubes... suddenly they can hear correctly, and the blockage to learning language is gone. Other children may still need more help to catch up. You can use some augmentive communication in the meantime, such as picture cards and sign language. You can look up baby signing on babysigns.com, which will give you some basic signs to use to communicate with. Picture cards are easy to make... take digital phots of commonly requested or used objects in your home (fav. foods, toys, activities you do during the day), print them out, cut them into squares, laminate them, and put velcro or magnets on the back. Then, you can mount them on a piece of cardboard or on the refridgerator. Encourage your child to ask you for things by handing you a card to request what he wants. Then, up the ante by having him make sounds that are similar to the word that you are wanting him to say. Here is a great book for parents of children with speech and language delays- Childhood Speech, Language and Listening Problems, What Every Parent Should Know by Patricia McAleer Hamaguchi (you can get it from amazon.com). I just got it recently, and it contains all kinds of ideas for things you can do to help, as well as the logistics of manuevering the world of speech therapy. Good luck!

Answer 4

What is Speech-Language Treatment?
From the results of the evaluation, certain services may be recommended. Prevention includes those children who have been identified as at-risk, for example, due to low birthweight, for a communication delay or disorder.

Services are provided before a specific diagnosis has been made. Remediation increases function in areas identified as delayed or disabling and may serve to prevent other related problems. For example, remediation of a language disorder can help to offset learning difficulties. Compensation enables the child and the family to make adjustments for limitations, as in some cases of cerebral palsy.

Language is taught in a natural setting. It is presented at the child's developmental level; responses are consistently stimulated; and output is rewarded. Play may be used to teach communication, language models or rules of conversation, such as turn taking.

Feeding and swallowing treatment may be needed to sustain life. It can also be used to encourage speech-like movements, stimulate sound production, or increase the child's awareness of speech movements.

If you are concerned about a possible speech-language delay or disability, consult a speech-language pathologist. A list of certified speech-language pathologists in your area may be obtained by calling the American Speech- Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) toll-free HELPLINE at 1-800-638- 8255.

Answer 5

I am studying Speech Language Pathology and I think many of the methods they use in therapy are great and can be picked up by any parent that's willing to learn.
For example, there are cards with different picture on them and some SLP's use drilling with having them repeat certain words to see if they are for example, "fronting."

Answer 6

Just talk a lot, and expose him to other people speaking -particularly other children.

Also encourage him to speak properly, don't give him something until he asks for it by name and says that name as clearly as he can.

In addition, you may want to check with your local school board or public health nurse. Speech therapy certainly won't hurt and may be available. There may be programs in your area to provide help for free. If not, and you are really worried either insist on a referral or transfer to another doctor who will refer you.

Answer 7

http://www.childrensdisabilities.info/speech/speechbooks.html

Above is a good list of books for you as parent. Most importantly engage your child in activities that have him use his speech, read a book and ask him questions about the pictures, ask him to use his words when asking for things and expressing himself. I'm sure once his ears are clear of fluid it will be quite amazing how fast he progresses.

Answer 8

I know one thing not to do.

I was born hearing impaired. My Grandmother meant well, but did not use a good method. She would record me as I spoke, then play the tape back for me to hear where I was not using the right punctuation. I spoke how I heard.

Try to speak slowly and clearly, while facing him. Since he will be able to hear better, he should correct himself as he hears it spoken correctly.

Answer 9

I want to no longer lose something! yet whilst one which would be maximum frightening then it relatively is it is lost! Sight if lost is maximum dreadful. After this we are able to be in darkness all the existence. yet sight with the aid of the eyes isn't all. Sight of heart is the real sight! maximum dreadful loss is loss of heart sight!

Answer 10

the best thing that you can do for him is to talk to him in complete sentences. read to him. talk to him whenever possible.