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Deaf/Hard of HearingPossible Indicators of Hearing Loss
The student may:- Have difficulty attending/easily distracted
- Say "huh" or "what" frequently
- Fail to respond to or respond inappropriately to questions or requests
- Be slow to respond or "catch on"
- Show evidence of strain while listening
- Focus on the face of the speaker (may be speechreading)
- Appear more fatigued than other children
- Have difficulty participating in class discussion
- Prefer written to verbal instructions and tasks
- Have difficulty locating the source of a sound
- Inconsistently respond to sounds
- Prefer not to take part in verbal discussions and group projects
- Be irritable, timid, introverted, or tense
- Have a greater amount of frustration and aggression
- Have earaches, pain, tenderness, itching, discharge from the ear, noises (ringing) in the head, balance problems, or chronic colds
- Watch others' actions and copy
- Have speech problems such as articulation difficulties, monotonous tone of voice, unusual voice quality, and inappropriate volume
- Have language problems such as limited vocabulary, difficulty with abstractions, and poor written language
- Confuse words that should alike, or make unusual mistakes in taking dictation or spelling tests
- Perform below expectations or grade level
Possible Chain of Effects of Hearing Loss
Hearing
Loss--> Impaired
Speech
Perception--> Speech and
Language
Delay--> Reduced
Academic
Achievement--> Lowered
Self
Esteem--> Isolation Davis, J. (1990), Our Forgotten Children: Hard-of-Hearing Pupils in the Schools; Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of EducationNext Steps:
Check with Teacher of Deaf/hard of Hearing, Speech-Language Pathologist, School Nurse, or Director of Special Education to follow school district's referral policy for students with suspected hearing problems.For more information:
Josh Nelson
Director of Educational Programs
218-737-6508
jnelson@lcsc.org