The Listening and Spoken Language Development in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Early Intervention

PURPOSE: This longitudinal study examined the development of listening and spoken language skills in 322 deaf and hard of hearing children who participated in a multidisciplinary early intervention program. METHOD: Listening skill acquisition was assessed using the Functional Listening Index-Paediatric (3,911 assessments) in children from 0 to 6 years of age accessing the program between 2011 and 2022 and was analyzed against standardized language scores (1,015 assessments) measured using the Preschool Language Scale-Fourth/Fifth Edition and the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool-Third/Fourth Edition. Listening scores were compared with previously reported normative data for age-matched typically hearing controls. RESULTS: scores to enable accurate comparison, listening scores proved more sensitive to the effects of hearing loss. Time in the early intervention program, diagnosed additional needs, language background of the family, and age at commencement of intervention were found to be significant factors influencing outcomes. Commencement of early intervention before 5 months of age resulted in the highest scores when compared with 20 months after intervention. There was no interaction found for mean bilateral hearing thresholds on listening or language outcomes, indicating that the range of audiological devices available is providing appropriate levels of access to sound for children to achieve similar results regardless of type of device required. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that listening measures can provide complementary information on skill development that standard language scores do not incorporate.