Speech production in children with mild bilateral hearing loss using hearing aids

The study aimed to (a) compare the articulation accuracy and phonological processes of 5-year-old children with mild bilateral hearing loss and normal hearing peers, and (b) determine the relationship between the age of first hearing aid fitting and speech production accuracy.

A total of 28 5-year-old children with mild bilateral hearing loss and 60 age-matched peers with normal hearing were assessed using the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology. Percentages of consonants, vowels, and phonemes correct, and counts of phonological processes were extracted. For each phoneme, the type and frequency of errors were quantified.

Compared to normal hearing peers, children with mild milateral hearing loss had significantly lower percentages of consonants, vowels, and phonemes correct. In terms of phonological processes, children with mild bilateral hearing loss had a significantly higher proportion of stopping, voicing, gliding, final consonant deletion, and cluster reduction errors than their normal hearing peers. The mean age of the first hearing aid fitting was 13 months. No association was found with the age of first hearing aid fitting and articulation accuracy.

Despite hearing aid fitting, mild bilateral hearing loss can compromise a child's speech production development. To reduce the impact of speech delays on communication competence, close monitoring and preventative management is recommended.