TY - JOUR

T1 - Language development for the new generation of children with hearing impairment

AU - Percy-Smith, Lone

AU - Wischmann, Signe

AU - Josvassen, Jane Lignel

AU - Schiøth, Christina

AU - Cayé-Thomasen, Per

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - A new generation of children with hearing impairment (HI) has emerged due to the introduction of universal neonatal hearing screening, medical–surgical/technical and educational advances. Aim: Investigation of long-term development of vocabulary and social well-being of children with HI, including children with HI and additional disability. Method and Material: The project design was prospective, longitudinal, and comparative. Level of receptive vocabulary was compared to children with normal hearing, type of hearing technology, gender, additional disability, diagnosis of HI, level of social well-being, and start age for use of hearing technology. A total of 231 children participated. Intervention included early start of hearing technology and three years of auditory–verbal therapy (AVT) at the preschool level, followed by 3 years of AV guidance at the school level. Results: Children with HI scored within the norm for receptive vocabulary but were outperformed by the control group. Children with HI and a diagnosed additional disability scored lower than children without additional disability, in terms of parental assessments of social well-being. Children with additional disabilities showed positive progression in terms of receptive vocabulary development. Conclusions: New generations with HI possess the potential to succeed academically in accordance with individual abilities and become active participants in the working market.

AB - A new generation of children with hearing impairment (HI) has emerged due to the introduction of universal neonatal hearing screening, medical–surgical/technical and educational advances. Aim: Investigation of long-term development of vocabulary and social well-being of children with HI, including children with HI and additional disability. Method and Material: The project design was prospective, longitudinal, and comparative. Level of receptive vocabulary was compared to children with normal hearing, type of hearing technology, gender, additional disability, diagnosis of HI, level of social well-being, and start age for use of hearing technology. A total of 231 children participated. Intervention included early start of hearing technology and three years of auditory–verbal therapy (AVT) at the preschool level, followed by 3 years of AV guidance at the school level. Results: Children with HI scored within the norm for receptive vocabulary but were outperformed by the control group. Children with HI and a diagnosed additional disability scored lower than children without additional disability, in terms of parental assessments of social well-being. Children with additional disabilities showed positive progression in terms of receptive vocabulary development. Conclusions: New generations with HI possess the potential to succeed academically in accordance with individual abilities and become active participants in the working market.

KW - Auditory verbal therapy

KW - Early intervention

KW - Long term language outcomes

KW - Pediatric hearing impairment

KW - Social well-being

U2 - 10.3390/jcm10112350

DO - 10.3390/jcm10112350

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34071954

AN - SCOPUS:85114068330

VL - 10

JO - Journal of Clinical Medicine

JF - Journal of Clinical Medicine

SN - 2077-0383

IS - 11

M1 - 2350

ER -