The impact of UHL on speech and language development varies across individuals. While some children may experience little or even no difficulties, others may. Some of the challenges that children with UHL may experience include: softer voices being unclear, difficulty hearing in noisy environments and delayed speech and language development. If you feel your child has delayed speech and language development, consult with your GP, Audiologist and/or Speech Pathologist.

Parents play a key role in the communication development of their child. It is important your child is encouraged to interact in activities that help them develop their communication skills. By fostering a language rich environment at home, this will provide your child with opportunities to learn and develop language. Siblings and other extended family members can also share an important role in supporting communication development for children with UHL.

There are several communication strategies that can be used to enhance communication with your child at home. Some of these include:

• Cue your baby by pointing to where the sound comes from

• Read stories to your child and point to pictures as you talk about them. There are many books with stories about hearing impaired children that may be engaging

• Use more visual gestures or cues when talking. You may need to turn lights on to ensure your child can see your face

• Avoid talking to your child from a distance or another room

• Try to face your child when speaking

• Gain your child’s attention before speaking

• Position your child’s “good” ear to the sound source. Think about this when you are feeding, in the car or in the classroom

• Employ strategies to minimise background noise when you are speaking to your child. Such as:  turning the TV volume down when speaking to your child or keeping the windows up in the car

Psycho-Social

UHL can impact the psycho-social development of children in different ways. Difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments can lead to avoidance of large groups, as well as, feelings of annoyance, frustration and compromised inclusion. Children with UHL may also experience increased listening effort, which can lead to irritability and fatigue. It is important to be aware of these potential impacts, so that they can be minimised as much as possible.

There are different ways that you can support your child’s psycho-social development. These include:

• Help to build your child’s sense of family, culture and community. This can be done by showing photos, sharing family stories, taking part in community events

• Encourage social activities for your child to help build relationships with their peers

• Provide lots of positive reinforcement to your child

• Celebrate big, even if it’s a small achievement or success. Keep special reminders of your child’s progress and success

• Engaging with support groups and other children with hearing loss can help children build self-esteem

School and Education

Children with UHL may experience challenges in their educational development. Background noise in a classroom can make it difficult to understand the teacher and other students.

Teachers can be encouraged to support your child in the following ways:

• Position the child so that the “good” ear is facing the speaker

• Ensure the child has an unobscured view of the speaker so that they can maximise visual cues

• If the child has a hearing aid or FM system, it is helpful to inform the teacher to ensure use is maxmised

• If your child is receiving early intervention, they may establish an IEP (Individual Education Plan) to support your child at school. In this case, it is important to share this with the teacher

• School of Special Educational Needs: Sensory provides a range of support services to assist children with hearing loss at school