Children with hearing loss have to put more effort into listening than those with normal hearing. Studies have shown that this can lead to children with hearing loss experiencing more subjective fatigue. This may cause increased stress and performance issues in school.
If you’re an educator or someone who works with children, it can be helpful to be aware of ways that you can make it easier for children with hearing loss to avoid listening fatigue.
Challenges For School-aged Children with Hearing Loss
When you have hearing loss, your brain has to work harder to process sounds. Hearing aids and other assistive listening devices can go a long way toward helping those with hearing loss use less cognitive energy. However, certain factors can still make it harder for children with hearing loss to engage at school. These can include:
- Poor acoustics in the classroom
- Background noise. This can be in the classroom or when on a field trip somewhere like the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
- Listening to multiple speakers throughout the day
- Having to multitask and listen while performing other tasks like notetaking
Lessening Listening Fatigue for Children Who Struggle To Hear
While not every child with hearing loss has the exact same struggles or needs, many children will benefit from these considerations:
- Look for ways to minimize background noise. While this might not be possible in every environment, constantly having to filter out excessive background noise can be quite tiring.
- Consider helpful accommodations. This may include seating a child with hearing loss closer to the front of the class where they can better hear or making sure or turning captions on whenever available.
- Practice good communication strategies. This can mean making sure you don’t speak too quickly or turn your back when speaking to a student or students with hearing loss. Make sure they are able to see your face when you are speaking and let any substitute teachers or guest speakers know to do the same.
- Schedule listening breaks when possible. Let the student rest their head on their desk for a bit or engage in an activity that doesn’t require listening for a bit to let them recharge.
If you have additional questions or if you’re a parent who is concerned about their child’s hearing and wish to schedule an appointment, call Advanced Hearing today.