All About Learning Problems in Hearing-Impaired Children

Hearing-impaired students have more than three times the probability of having hearing problems as a hearing student does. Why are learning problems in hearing-impaired students so rampant? The answer may lie in the causes of hearing impairments. Some hearing impairments are caused by maternal rubella, prematurity, cytomegalovirus, and meningitis, all of which are also connected with learning problems.

Diagnosing learning problems in hearing-impaired students can be difficult because hearing loss on its own can lead to delayed language and academic skills. In addition, many tests that determine whether a student has learning disabilities cannot be given fairly to hearing-impaired students, due to the difference between oral instruction and written instructions.

Determining whether learning problems are caused by hearing impairments or in addition to hearing impairments can be a complex task. Therefore, interdisciplinary teams are often used to test for these additional learning problems. Members of these interdisciplinary teams may include classroom teachers, psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, audiologists, speech and language pathologists, and any members of the medical establishment involved with the child.

There are several techniques that have been proven to work based on the type of learning problem that the hearing-impaired student has:

· Pictures and pictorial symbols – helpful for vocabulary and syntax learning problems

· Oral remediation techniques – helpful for auditory processing problems (which may manifest themselves differently in hearing-impaired students than in hearing students)

· Natural consequences and giving choices – helpful for behavioral problems

· Individual or group counseling – helpful for emotional problems

The learning problems in hearing-impaired students can and should be identified and treated. Often, a student in a special school for those with hearing impairment can benefit from programs that the school has to address these disabilities. For those who are mainstreamed in a regular school, they may need to work with as many specialists as possible until treatment for the learning problem is addressed sufficiently.