The first two years of a child’s life represent a crucial period for the development of emotional, learning, and communication skills. Studies from the University of Iowa show that children with hearing loss who are treated with hearing aids had better rates of language development than children with untreated hearing loss. This emphasizes the importance of early intervention when it comes to treating hearing loss in children.
If you are concerned with your child’s development, you can consider several factors that may indicate delayed language and speech development, such as whether they understand language or use gestures when communicating. The older a child is at the time of a language delay diagnosis, the less positive the outcome. Whether it is a speech sound disorder or a language-based learning disability, a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) can administer tests, evaluate the condition, and create an individualized instruction program to help.
