You may hear doctors and other professionals use different terms, including Deaf, hard of hearing, hearing loss, hearing differences, or reduced hearing. While some people may use the term hearing impaired, the other terms are preferred. This is because the term hearing impaired can imply that something is broken and needs to be fixed. At BMC, we often use the term deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) — which refers to people who are culturally Deaf, deaf, or hard of hearing — to be inclusive of all lived experiences.
About 60 percent of hearing differences are caused by genes, while the other 40 percent are environmental, which includes reduced hearing caused by illness, physical or anatomic differences, or side effects of other medical treatments.
The number of children who are DHH varies by age. Around 1.7 per 1,000 infants in the United States are born DHH. This increases to three to five children per 1,000 by school age, and one in five people have a hearing difference by the time they reach adulthood.
Hearing differences are defined by something called a hearing threshold, which is the level at which a person can hear sound without devices such as hearing aids. They can be mild, moderate, severe, or profound.
The Importance of Language Access
It’s important for children to have access to complete and natural languages, whether spoken or signed, such as American Sign Language (ASL). If they aren’t exposed to language from birth to about seven years old, the critical period for language development, it can lead to negative effects, such as:
- Problems communicating
- Difficulties in school
- Social-emotional and behavioral challenges
- Impacts on thinking
- Increased risk of mental health conditions
- Increased risk of chronic diseases in adulthood
Having your DHH child learn ASL as soon as they can helps reduce these potential negative effects and may even help your child learn spoken language later by providing a foundation for second language learning and reducing the time during which they might not have exposure to any language.
Most children pick up language from everyday life, but it can be harder for a child who is DHH to develop language if they do not have complete access to spoken language through hearing or fluent users of ASL. Early Intervention — which every DHH child in Massachusetts may access — can help teach you ways to make sure your child can access language. They can also help you learn ASL, find therapies for your child, and more.
Ways Your Child Can Access Language
Learning ASL is one way to help make sure your child learns language and continues to develop. Many DHH children also benefit from other tools that can increase access to spoken language. These include:
- Hearing aids: These devices amplify sounds where hearing loss is present so that a person can hear better. Your child must have a working middle and inner ear to use hearing aids. Hearing aids vary in type and cost and can be tailored to your child’s needs. They can give some children full access to sound and speech, while other children may still need visual and other support to learn and communicate.
- Cochlear implants: Sometimes hearing aids are not enough. Cochlear implants are surgically put into the ear and activate the nerve that helps people hear. While they can help children hear and learn language — especially if implanted before age two — there is a wide range of potential outcomes. Intensive support is often needed for successful cochlear implantation.
- Assistive listening devices
- Preferential seating in learning environments
There’s no one “best” way to help your child learn language. Your care team will help you figure out what works best for you and your family and what will help your child thrive.