Language Underperformance in Young Children Who Are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing: Are the Expectations Too Low?

Abstract

Many children early identified with hearing loss continue to demonstrate language underperformance, defined using their cognitive potential. Language deficits have a cascading effect on social functioning in children who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. This study highlights the need to understand a child's cognitive potential to adequately address language needs in existing intervention models.