Looking for more info on Hearing, Speech, and Language? Dr Daniel Samadi, a Pediatric Otolaryngologist, writes about the topic on his site ENTforchildren.com. Visit http://www.zocdoc.com/doctor/sharyar-daniel-samadi-md-107224 to view his professional profile, reviews, office locations, and other info.

1. PEDIATRIC ENT – HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE
BY
DR. DANIEL SAMADI
http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Daniel_Samadi/profile

2. HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE ANATOMY
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3. The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and
the three tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.
Milestones
Hearing, speech, and language are important parts of a healthy child’s life.
Speech is the ability to make sounds, and language refers to the ability to
understand and use the sounds. Hearing is necessary for the proper
development of speech and language.
HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE
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4. Hearing problems may be suspected in children who are not responding to
sounds or who are not developing their language skills appropriately.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD) and other experts list the following age-appropriate hearing
guidelines/milestones here for children from birth to 36 months. It is
important to remember that not every child is the same, and children reach
milestones at different ages.
Call your child’s physician if you are suspicious that your child is not
hearing appropriately.
HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE:
AGE –APPROPRIATE HEARING MILESTONES
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5. Hearing, speech, and language are interconnected. Hearing problems may
be suspected in children who are not responding to sounds or who are not
developing their language skills appropriately.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
(NIDCD) and other experts list the following age-appropriate speech and
language milestones here for children from birth to five years.
The guidelines may help you to decide if your child is having hearing
problems. It is important to remember that not every child is the same,
and children reach milestones at different ages. Consult your child’s
physician if you are suspicious that your child is not developing speech
and language skills correctly.
HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE:
AGE-APPROPRIATE SPEECH & LANGUAGE MILESTONES
http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Daniel_Samadi/profile

6. It is important to remember that children develop speech, language, and
hearing skills at different ages. However, hearing loss can lead to delays in
your child’s ability to make sounds, learn to speak, and communicate.
Consult your child’s physician if you are concerned about your child’s
hearing or speech, or if you notice any of the following:
• No response to sound at any age
• No movement or “startling” when a loud sound is made
• No babbling by the time the infant is nine months old
• No words spoken by the age of 18 to 24 months
• No following simple commands by two years old
• Stuttering continues past five years old
HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE:
SIGNS OF A PROBLEM
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7. Hearing Loss in Babies
According to The National Institutes of Health, nearly 12,000 babies are
born each year in the United States with a hearing impairment. It is
estimated that serious hearing loss occurs in about one to three of every
1,000 healthy newborns, and in two to four of every 100 babies in newborn
intensive care units.
Most hearing loss is congenital (present at birth), but some babies develop
hearing loss after they are born. Hearing loss is more likely in premature
babies and babies with respiratory problems who have required long-term
use of breathing machines, those with previous infections, and those taking
certain medications.
HEARING, SPEECH, & LANGUAGE HEARING LOSS
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8. Hearing loss can be categorized by many different types. Two main types of
hearing loss are:
1. Sensorineural hearing loss - involves loss of function within the inner
ear or with the connection to the brain.
2. Conductive hearing loss - involves a problem in the outer or middle
ear in which sound waves are not sent to the inner ear correctly.
Conductive hearing loss is the most common type of hearing loss in
children and is usually acquired.
Both of these types of hearing loss can be congenital (present at birth) or
acquired later in life. Learn more on http://entforchildren.com/hearing-
speech-language-hearing-loss/different-types-of-hearing-loss/.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARING LOSS
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9. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by:
Congenital factors (conditions present at birth):
• Infection by the mother with toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus,
herpes, or syphilis
• Genetic factors and syndromes the child has at birth
• Low birthweight
• Hereditary – in the family
Acquired factors (occurred after birth):
• Loud noise exposure
• Trauma
• Infections
• Damage from certain medications that can be harmful to the ears
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARING LOSS:
SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS
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10. Conductive hearing loss is caused by:
Congenital factors (conditions present at birth):
• Anomalies of the auricle (the outside of the ear)
• Anomalies of the tympanic membrane (eardrum)
• Anomalies of the external ear canal
• Anomalies of the ossicles (the three tiny bones that deliver the sound
waves to the middle ear)
Acquired factors (occurred after birth):
• Excessive wax
• Foreign bodies in the ear canal, such as beads or popcorn kernels
• Tumors of the middle ear
• Problems with the eustachian tube
• Ear infections, such as otitis media
• Chronic ear infections with fluid in the middle ear
• Perforation of the eardrum
DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARING LOSS:
CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS
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11. Read more by visiting the following sites:
Hearing tests
Management of hearing loss
Hearing loss in babies
Other hearing, speech, & language resources
HEARING LOSS
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12. MORE INFORMATION
ENT for Children (Dr. Daniel Samadi)
10 Forest Ave, Suite 100
Paramus, NJ 07652
Phone: (201) 996-1505
Fax: (201) 996-1605
Email: dsamadi@entforchildren.com or rbraun@entforchildren.com
Website: www.entforchildren.com
http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Daniel_Samadi/profile