If you have a child with a hearing loss, you can do a lot to help and support him or her in everyday situations.
When communicating, for example, you can help your child understand and develop speech better by keeping a few basic communication rules in mind, such as:
- Keep your face in view
If your child can see what you are saying it will also be easier for him or her to hear what you say. If you stand where your face is well lit, your child can easily see your facial expression and read your lips. So avoid leaning your face on your hand or sitting behind a newspaper while talking.
- Speak clearly
Speak clearly to your child, at a normal pace and remember that you do not need to shout. If your child has difficulty understanding you, try rephrasing the sentence rather than just repeating yourself.
- Avoid background noise
When you talk to your child try to avoid background noise. Turn off the television and close any open windows to muffle noise from traffic. You can also move closer to your child to make your voice louder or you can try to find somewhere quieter to talk.
For introductions to other communication methods, use the navigation bar on the left side of your screen.
Exactly how your child would benefit from some of the mentioned techniques depends on your child's degree of hearing loss, type of hearing aid, age, and general abilities. Your support and involvement as a family in using new ways of communicating is vital to your child’s success.
For more information on how to help your child develop speech and language please go to our learning opportunities page.
