Psychopathology And Permanent Hearing Loss - 1403 Words

Psychopathology and Permanent Hearing Loss in Pediatric Patient Population Laura Shipps Dr. Andrea Pittman SHS 508 – Pediatric Audiology 04/29/15 Pediatric Audiology and Psychopathology Permanent hearing loss at any age can be challenging; adults and children alike must adjust to the reduced ability to hear. Unlike adults, however, children are still learning the language and communication skills that they will use for the rest of their life. As such, hearing loss that occurs during childhood is far more severe than if acquired as an adult (Pittman, 2015). According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), approximately 1-3 children out of every 1,000 children are born with†¦show more content†¦If the child does not pass the screening, they need to have a full hearing evaluation before they reach 3 months of age. All infants with an identified hearing loss thereafter need to receive appropriate intervention before 6 months of age (American Academy of Pediatrics 2007; Pittman 2015). It has been shown that hearing-impaired children may perform as well as normal hearing individuals in speech and langua ge acquisition if identified and intervened before 6 months of age, and perform significantly poorer if treated after 6 months of age (Yoshinaha-Itano 1998). Prolonging intervention increases this difference and can have life-long consequences not only in the educational and vocational domains, but also psychologically. As daunting as the term â€Å"psychopathology† may seem, it may be indicating that the child is frustrated at the inability to emotionally self-regulate or effectively communicate as a result of their hearing loss and accompanying disabilities (e.g.: intellectual disability, Attention Deficit Disorder, autism, etc.). Psychopathology in children can be divided into two categories: 1) externalization, and 2) internalization. Externalizing behaviors can be expressed as aggression, hyperactivity, inattention, and anti-social tendencies. Internalizing behaviors may include anxiety and depression (Theunissen et al 2015; Barker 2009). Research has shown that the