Auditory deprivation--an intrinsic or extrinsic problem? Some comments on Kyle (1978)

The relevance of animal work to early auditory deprivation, as discussed by Kyle (1978), is questioned. It is argued that auditory experience from birth, or even much later, is not necessarily required for subsequent hearing for spoken language. It is also questioned whether concern for intrinsic difficulties, such as possible cortical damage resulting from auditory deprivation, is appropriate. A more productive approach may be to pay more attention to the extrinsic aspect--the linguistically principled rehabilitation of the hearing-impaired child.