Communicating with a hearing loss
Communication is the process of sharing information through talking and listening, and it is a vital part of living. But communication is more than just spoken language; we also communicate through hand gestures, facial expressions and other kinds of body language.
Learning to communicate
Children start learning to communicate from the moment they are born. They are constantly listening, and very soon they are able to recognise the voices of their mother and father. They learn to talk by imitating the sounds they hear.
Children with hearing loss can have difficulty learning to communicate because they cannot hear enough of the sounds around them - or even their own voice. That’s why it is so important to get an early diagnosis and if necessary, get them fitted with hearing instruments that provide access to vital sounds.
Children with hearing loss take longer to develop their language skills, but with the proper support they have a good chance of succeeding.
Children with mild to severe hearing loss most often develop speech, and research has shown that even children with profound hearing loss can learn to speak. Fortunately, due to new-born hearing screening, these children are often identified early, providing them with a much better chance of success.
For further information on communication methods please go to the section on Daily life communication. This contains a list of the various professionals and experts that you can call upon for assistance.
