Getting Started Understanding Hearing Loss
Module 1: Introduction
Module 2: Tip of the Iceberg Module 3: Physical, Psycho-Emotional & Social Module 4 Module 5
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Hearing loss is different for everyone. The causes of hearing loss are numerous and there are many types and degrees of hearing loss, rendering the level of hearing different for each individual. The impact of hearing loss as well as the perception of hearing loss varies widely from individual to individual and depends on numerous factors including the person’s culture and community. Some people are culturally Deaf while others are not. While some people use technology(ies) to help them hear, others do not. Whether technology(ies) are used, the languages leveraged (spoken and/or signed), in addition to other individual considerations, will impact how to approach a child. Be open to individual considerations, and do not hesitate to remind children to self-advocate for their needs.
The following are links to web sites providing important contextualizing information about Hearing Loss and related subjects. Each link will open a new window to an third-party web site.
Click for more links to scholarly articles from field experts as well as deaf adults. |
Physical, psycho-emotional & Social considerations
Many children with hearing loss face challenges beyond developing communication skills. For some children, hearing loss can also mean difficulty with one or more of the following:
- Communication
- Building positive relationships
- Social-emotional development
- Behavioural regulation
- Academic development
factors beyond communication
physical
Given that there are many different causes of hearing loss, some children may experience physical implications as a result of their hearing loss.
In some cases, if a child was born severely premature, or if other conditions or syndromes have caused the hearing loss, the child may be developing at a different rate than other children their age. They may be physically smaller or less developed than other children. Furthermore, hearing loss causes balance issues in some individuals. Some children may not have been born prematurely, nor may they have any balance concerns, but they may have developed a preoccupation or insecurity with the potential loss or damage of their technology, or worse, fear of injuring their head, which is especially possible for children with implanted hearing devices. Some children's technology incessantly falls off, or their families may have demonstrated a lot of concern around any activities they deem risky to the child's head, heightening such insecurities and causing them to under-perform in activities that are physical in nature. In all of these cases, for some children, the physical concerns can easily develop into psycho-emotional and social concerns as they learn to navigate through social relationships at home and at school. |
mental
Some of the lesser-known implications of hearing loss are those that affect an individual's mental capacity. The work of listening and concentrating all day is enough to exhaust grown-ups with hearing loss. In children, the work of listening and concentrating coupled with the varied stimuli and "noise" in a school environment and developing skills in self-regulation can end up presenting as behavioural concerns in the classroom. Additionally, research indicates that for individuals with hearing loss, the work of constant listening and concentrating consumes so much brain power, that little is actually left to copy new information to memory. As a result, some people with hearing loss may struggle to learn new things, give up easily, or develop anxiety over learning new things or engaging in new activities.
Concentration or listening fatigue can be exacerbated by a poor night's sleep, poor digestion, and anything else that can affect a good rest. Ironically, some children with hearing loss might experience disturbances in settling down to sleep or in acquiring a good night sleep for reasons such as: dealing with tinnitus (a persistent, sometimes present, or always present ringing in the ears), phantom sounds (when technology is off, some individuals report hearing mysterious, sometimes unusual or scary, or sometimes regular or mundane sounds repeatedly in their minds). Phantom sounds result from the brain attempting to "fill in gaps" and figure out the silence after hearing noise all day. Another common insecurity among some people with hearing loss, especially those using Cochlear Implants who cannot hear at all when their technology is off, is night time anxiety. Sound is off, eyes are closed, and fear kicks in. |
psycho-emotional & socialLike anyone else, people with hearing loss experience a range of emotions on a day to day basis. In addition to typical reasons for fluctuations in emotion, some children with hearing loss may experience a range of psycho-emotional and/or social implications directly as a result of how they have been brought up to view their hearing loss, or opinions they have developed themselves as they grow up within a 95% hearing world. Some of the emotions the child with hearing loss may be contending with are:
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All children with hearing loss need in the mainstream classroom is a little bit of understanding. Learn how you can help.
further reading
physical
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mental
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psycho-emotional & social
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Please, don't take my word for it: There are more links to scholarly articles from field experts as well as deaf adults here.