Questions to ask about communicating
with your child and needed intervention

  • The way you decide to communicate with your child will depend on a number of things, including
    • the degree of your child’s hearing loss
    • age when the hearing loss started
    • age when hearing aids were first used
    • your family’s culture, goals, and priorities
  • The decision about which way to communicate (modality) is based on your baby’s and family’s needs.
  • The modalities most often used in the United States include
    • listening and spoken language (aka, auditory-verbal or auditory-oral)
    • cued speech or cued language
    • American Sign Language (ASL)
    • total communication (talking while signing)

  • Children with a hearing loss who begin services early may be able to develop language (spoken and/or signed) on a par with their hearing peers.
  • There is no age requirement to start speech and language services—generally, the earlier, the better.
  • If a hearing loss is detected in your child, early intervention is recommended to promote language (speech and/or signed, depending on family choices) and cognitive development.
  • The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) ensures that children who qualify for early intervention (birth–age 3) or school-age (ages 3–21 years) services in their state receive them. Part C of IDEA is the early intervention program for infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk for, a developmental delay or have an established condition that is likely to lead to a delay. Part B of IDEA is the program for older children. These two programs cover most children with hearing loss, but each state has its own eligibility requirements.