MSNBC.com has informal article on children and hearing loss. According to the article, approximately 6 out of every 1,000 children born have some degree of hearing loss, and is one of the most common birth defects in the United States. Children may also acquire hearing loss after birth from illness, trauma, ototoxic medications and genetic factors. Unfortunately, an undiagnosed hearing loss can have an impact on the child’s language development, educational achievement and emotional stability.
However, when children with hearing loss are identified at an early age, they can acquire age-appropriate speech and language skills (listening, speaking, and comprehension) which enable them to function effectively in the hearing world. This is done through appropriate amplification which they use consistently, and are trained to use their residual hearing to the maximal level for understanding speech.
