What are the consequences of unidentified hearing loss?
The most critical time for speech and language development is from birth to three years of age. If newborns are not screened shortly after birth, the average age to detect hearing defects is around 14 months of age, and ranges anywhere from 12 to 25 months. Children with mild to moderate degrees of hearing loss may go undetected even longer. This is well after the most critical period for language development has passed. By then a child can be significantly delayed in verbal skills and learning. Left undetected, hearing loss can have a negative impact on a child’s speech and l anguage acquisition, as well as social, emotional and cognitive development. Delays in these areas, such as understanding words and using words to communicate, can have a lifelong effect on literacy and learning. These delays lead to decreased academic achievement and minimal vocational opportunities. Data indicates that the average deaf student graduates from high school with language and academic achievement le
