[senco-forum] hearing loss and literacy skills

"Just recently we have identified two Y2 children with
significant hearing loss due to glue ear that seems to
have impacted on their literacy skills.
Neither child was showing any obvious signs."

Glue ear can be cured. But when the hearing loss goes
after the fluid disperses, with or without grommets
etc. these children may be left with APD. Glue ear and
APD are very closely linked.  Glue ear is one of the
major causes of APD, (apart from an inherited cvause
and some children have both, like my son). And these
are major causes of literacy problems; it is, indeed,
the tip of the iceberg. 

If a child develops cognitive hearing loss the
symptoms are very similar to APD, as this too can be
intermittent and random, another reason why these
children may be missed or it being put down to
laziness, lack of effort etc.

Glue ear and ensuing APD often occur when children are
toddlers, at the vital time when they are acquiring
language. This can greatly affect both receptive and
expressive language skills and uiltimately literacy.
Many children with speech difficulties are found to
have had glue ear and/or undiagnosed APD.

Another point is that ear infections do not always
cause pain, so children nay be having them, repeatedly
without anyone knowing, and they may be picked up only
when painful.

Dr Dasmien Howard who works with APDUK on research
projects, works with the indiginous Aboriginal
population on congnitive hearing loss in Australia,
among whom it is more prevalent due to living
conditions, genetic disposition, crowded housing which
spreads infection quickly etc. many of these go on to
develop APD. He is an educator, ex Educational
Psychologist, now psychologist and teacher and now a
counsellor for those with APD and hearing loss, upon
which the emotional and psychological effects can be
great.  His website is eartroubles.com.

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory Processing Disorder in the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org

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