Hearing is one of the vital human senses that plays a very important role in his ability to communicate with others.... When we talk about the complications of hearing loss, we usually focus on the problems that arise in understanding the speech of others.... But hearing loss also has a great impact on speech... We will talk about speech and language and explain ways to deal with this problem.... Follow us until the end.

The connection between listening and speaking

In order to understand the impact of hearing loss on speech and language, it is important to understand the relationship between them... because hearing plays a very important role in each of the following areas:

• Sound production: The production of sounds while speaking depends on a person's ability to hear them... People with hearing loss may have difficulty distinguishing between different sounds, which affects their speech.
• Formation of words: The correct pronunciation of words depends on the ability to hear sounds accurately and reproduce them correctly.... Hearing loss can cause mistakes in pronunciation.... Because the person is not able to hear the sounds that he should produce.
• Sentence formation: Deaf people may have difficulty understanding and using grammatical rules correctly, which can affect their relationships.

Hearing loss is caused by problems that affect different parts of the ear.. These problems may occur in any part of the outer, middle or inner ear and disrupt the process of transmitting or processing sound..

The effect of hearing loss on speech and language

Speech disorders caused by hearing loss have a great impact on both sides of the conversation.... In other words, both a person with hearing loss and a hearing person may have problems saying or understanding some words.... Below are some examples of these effects:

1... Difficulty in pronouncing and expressing sounds

Hearing loss makes it difficult for a person to pronounce sounds correctly... People with hearing loss may not hear sounds correctly and may not be able to produce them accurately, which makes speech slurred.

2.... changing the sound intensity and quality

Speaking loudly is one of the common reactions of people with hearing loss.. This often happens unconsciously and makes the person speak as if they are in a crowded environment..

3... Difficulty using vocabulary and grammar

Hearing loss can reduce a person's ability to learn and correctly use vocabulary and grammar rules.... This issue may cause many mistakes and increase the possibility of misunderstanding in communication.

4... reducing the ability of a person to express his feelings and thoughts

In many cases, the purpose of speech is to convey feelings, thoughts and personal views... This skill plays a vital role in communicating with others... But in hearing impaired people, especially those whose problems have not been treated, it decreases and sometimes makes the person prefer silence to speaking.

5.... psychological effects

The impact of hearing loss on speech and language can psychologically cause feelings of frustration and embarrassment.. As a result, the person may avoid socializing to avoid possible misunderstandings or judgments from others, which can reduce his speaking skills.

6... Social effects

Unfortunately, hearing-impaired people who speak loudly may be perceived by others as rude or disrespectful behavior... especially if the other party is not aware of the person's hearing condition.... On the other hand, a person with hearing loss may gradually lose the tone and quality of their voice, which can have a negative effect on how they understand their speech.

Symptoms of speech and language disorder in hearing impaired children

Now that you are familiar with the impact of hearing loss on speech and language, it is not bad to get to know the symptoms of this problem in children... If hearing aids are not used, the child may experience the following symptoms:

Mild hearing loss

• Difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments
• Missing some sounds or words while speaking
• weak language skills, including limited range of vocabulary

Moderate hearing loss

• Difficulty understanding speech, unless the speaker is close and speaking loudly
• Hearing problems in noisy environments
• Delay in the development of speaking skills
• Speech unintelligible

Severe hearing loss

• Hearing problems in all conditions
• Hearing loud voices but not understanding what others are saying
• Inability to learn speech or abnormal language development
• To speak very unintelligibly

Profound hearing loss

• Not hearing loud sounds or environmental sounds
• Inability to learn speech

Effect of severity of hearing loss and age of onset on speech

The effect of hearing loss on the speech and language of children and adults can be different depending on the time the problem started and its severity:

1.... Age of onset of hearing loss

People who have been hearing impaired since birth may have significant challenges when it comes to speaking because they have never had the opportunity to develop auditory language and speech skills, but if the hearing loss begins in childhood or later, the person may adapt more easily.

2.... Severity of hearing loss

People with mild hearing loss may have difficulty hearing some sounds, but they can hear most sounds in quiet environments... As the severity of the hearing loss increases, the effect on speech increases... Therefore, those with profound hearing loss must use sign language to communicate because they cannot hear any sounds.

Early treatment can prevent hearing loss from getting worse... So, if you experience symptoms of a ruptured eardrum or other ear problems, you should see your doctor right away.

What challenges do hearing impaired children face in the field of speech?

Hard of hearing children may face problems in the following cases:

• Hearing and understanding the sounds of the environment
• Learning new vocabulary
• sentencing
• Correct use of grammar rules
• Expression of thoughts and feelings
• understanding the speech of others
• Following orders in quiet or noisy environments
• Conversation with more than one person
• Friendship and interaction with your peers
• Learning in the classroom
• Learning reading skills

Ways to assess the impact of hearing loss on speech and language

To diagnose hearing loss, it is necessary to visit an audiologist...if you want to know what audiometry is, we must say that it is a specialized test that is performed to evaluate the health of the ear....In this test, sounds with different frequencies and intensities are sent to the person's ear and his reactions are checked.

In addition, the speech therapist plays a vital role in diagnosing problems related to hearing loss. They perform the following assessments and provide the necessary support to improve patients' quality of life:

• Listening skills
• Comprehension skill
• The ability to express words
• Structure and function of lips, tongue, jaw and palate
• Sound vibrations in the throat, mouth and nose
• Stuttering and other speech problems

Communication solutions for the hearing impaired

The following strategies and techniques help people with hearing loss improve their speech and communicate more effectively:

• Cochlear implants and use of hearing aids: These devices, which are prescribed to treat sensorineural hearing loss and other types of hearing loss, amplify sounds and facilitate access to important auditory information.
• Speech therapy: Speech therapy is a vital strategy for people with hearing loss... because a speech therapist can help improve the pronunciation of words and minimize the impact of hearing loss on speech and language.
• Lip reading: Lip reading or observing the speaker's lip movements and facial expressions helps to better understand the speech... This technique is especially useful when the person is partially able to hear.
• Learning communication strategies: Learning effective communication methods, such as asking for words to be repeated or giving more explanations, and using hand or facial gestures, can help improve quality of life.
• Self-protection: Deaf people should share their communication needs with others and, if necessary, ask for facilities and support in order to establish a more effective communication.
• Join support groups: Support groups provide a safe space for people with hearing loss to share experiences, challenges, and solutions to speech and communication problems.

The treatment of hearing loss depends on the cause of its occurrence....for example, the treatment of ear congestion after a flight is completely different from the treatment of an ear infection....This issue doubles the importance of correctly diagnosing the cause of hearing loss and treating it in time..

Ways to improve speech through practice

Continuous practice helps the hearing impaired to develop and maintain their speaking skills... Here are some practical tips:

• Daily voice exercises: Voice exercises help maintain the health of the larynx and improve voice quality, reducing the impact of hearing loss on speech and language.
• Reading aloud: Reading books, articles, or other texts aloud is a great way to practice pronunciation and improve your speaking.
• Practice your conversation: Regular conversations with friends and family members will help improve your conversation skills and increase your confidence in communicating with others.
• Voice recording and its evaluation: Recording the voice while speaking allows you to check it for speech clarity, pronunciation and expression.
• Participation in speech therapy sessions: In speech therapy sessions, guidance and personal exercises are provided according to the needs and goals of the individual.

Sometimes hearing loss is temporary and can be fixed with proper treatment... For example, if the accumulation of mass has caused hearing loss, ear suction can help to fix it... Also, recently some researches have confirmed the connection between anemia and hearing loss, in which case the use of supplements can have a great impact on hearing.

Why do parents play an important role in the success of hearing impaired children?

A child's presence alone in therapy sessions cannot completely solve his speech problems.. Therefore, parents or other caregivers are advised to reduce the impact of hearing loss on speech and language:

• Actively participate in therapy sessions with the child.
• If something is not clear to them, ask questions.... The speech therapist will allocate enough time to answer these questions.
• Practice the strategies learned in therapy sessions with the child every day.
• Minimize ambient noise so that the child can hear important sounds more easily.
• Before talking to the child, first get his attention... Then make sure that the child has heard their words well.
• Read to the child every day to strengthen his vocabulary.

Endword

Hearing loss has a significant impact on speech and communication skills... Therefore, people with hearing loss may face many problems in pronunciation, expression of words, voice quality, vocabulary and grammar.... But with the use of appropriate strategies, the impact of hearing loss on speech and language can be minimized and the quality of life of patients can be improved.

Using hearing aids, cochlear implants, and speech therapy play an important role in overcoming these challenges. In addition, practicing continuous speech and receiving support from family, professionals, and support groups can help improve speech and improve the quality of life. It is possible to schedule an appointment with the specialist of your choice through the online appointment system for face-to-face consultation with an otolaryngologist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: audiologyisland | crushing | kirschaudiology | cincinnatichilds