ABSTRACT
Purpose
To analyze the phonological and vocabulary performance of children with unilateral hearing loss.
Methods
Participants were twelve subjects with unilateral hearing loss of any degree and configuration, with deficit in any ear and without other associated impairments – six with conductive hearing loss due to congenital malformation of outer and/or middle ear, and six with congenital sensorineural hearing loss or acquired in the first year of life. Subjects’ ages ranged from 3 years and 7 months to 7 years and 8 months. The phonology and vocabulary tasks of the “ABFW – Child Language Test” were applied.
Results
Thirty-three percent of the children presented performances different than expected for their age groups regarding phonological (2 children) and lexical developments (2 children). On the phonology test, one child with sensorineural hearing loss presented phonological processes that were not expected for the age group (liquid simplification and fricative devoicing) and low indices of correct production in the phonetic inventory. One child with conductive hearing loss due to malformation presented stopping and liquid simplification, and borderline results in the analysis of the phonetic inventory (75%). On the vocabulary test, two children with sensorineural unilateral hearing loss presented mean of Usual Verbal Designations below the expected for their ages in different semantic fields. There were no differences between children with sensorineural and conductive hearing loss in the phonology and vocabulary tests.
Conclusion
Children with unilateral hearing loss are considered at risk for language development. We emphasize the importance of language and auditory monitoring of these children, providing early and efficient interventions, thus preventing possible language disorders and learning difficulties.
Hearing loss, Unilateral; Language development disorders; Child; Language; Vocabulary
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