Recent research has indicated that hard of hearing toddlers whose mothers talked to them more tended to understand language better than toddlers who were spoken to less. The research shows that quantity of communication matters for hard of hearing children. Children whose parents engaged them in more conversations were likely to have stronger language skills than toddlers whose parents engaged them in fewer conversations. It also found that families that kept television and electronic media to a minimum have stronger language skills than those who are exposed to television often.
Previous research has indicated that to promote parent–child conversations and to otherwise facilitate the language development of toddlers with hearing loss, parents should use speech that is child-friendly, such as short, simple sentences, and talk about things of interest to the child. The current research shows that this may not be the case, and that the quantity of communication matters.
The researchers discussed their findings in a presentation entitled: The Impact of Exposure to Talk and Television on the Language Development of Toddlers With Hearing Loss. Their presentation was part of ASHA’s Annual Convention, which began November 17 at the San Diego Convention Center.
