How Do Enriched Speech Acoustics Support Language Acquisition in Children With Hearing Loss? A Narrative Review.

Area of Science:

• Pediatric audiology
• Speech-language pathology
• Developmental linguistics

Background:

• Hearing loss in children leads to varied language outcomes, particularly affecting high-frequency consonant perception and production.
• Early intervention is crucial for mitigating the impact of pediatric hearing loss on speech development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review how enriched child-directed speech and song can serve as early, family-centered interventions.
• To evaluate the potential of caregiver speech and song to improve consonant acquisition in infants with hearing loss.
• To provide recommendations for clinical practice and future research.

Main Methods:

• Review of developmental trajectory of consonant acquisition in children with hearing loss.
• Assessment of phonetic-prosodic and lexico-structural features in caregiver speech and song.
• Analysis of how these features may facilitate high-frequency consonant acquisition.

Main Results:

• Permanent pediatric hearing loss impedes typical consonant acquisition pathways.
• Specific features of caregiver speech and song show potential to aid in acquiring high-frequency consonants.
• Enriched auditory input may offer a compensatory mechanism for speech development.

Conclusions:

• Family-centered interventions utilizing enriched speech and song are promising for infants with hearing loss.
• Targeting phonetic-prosodic and lexico-structural elements can enhance consonant development.
• Further research and clinical integration are recommended to optimize language outcomes.