Auditory Strategies
Why do children with Down syndrome have auditory impairments?
Due to the differences in the structural make up of the middle ear and Eustachian tube, children with Down syndrome tend to experience higher rates of hearing difficulties compared to their typically developing peers. These hearing problems range in severity and duration, some children may struggle throughout their lives, while others only have temporary hearing problems. Early diagnosis and treatment plays a key role in the child’s learning and development. Hearing is important for successful mental development, social skills and interactions, and the development of speech and language. To get a sense of how children with auditory impairments hear sound, click here to access a hearing loss simulator. |
Types of Hearing Loss
- Conductive hearing loss: This is the most common type of hearing loss seen in children with Down syndrome. Due to the narrowness of their outer ears, the canals are shaped like an hourglass, which makes it a prime area for wax and fluid to build up and create a blockage. This build up is referred to as glue ear; it prevents sound vibrations from moving freely, making it difficult for them to pass further into the inner ear. As a result children with Down syndrome tend to hear muffled sounds. For example: Imagine a drum being played underwater
- Sensory neural hearing loss: This type of hearing loss occurs when there has been damage to either the hair cells of the cochlea, or to the nerve pathways, leading to problems with the transmission of sounds. Receiving a cochlear implant surgically or getting hearing aids can relieve this loss.
What Can a Teacher Do?
Children with Down syndrome will often cover their ears when activities get too loud for them. Teachers need to constantly be on the look out for these signals and should monitor the noise levels of activities in the classroom. Some ways in which the teacher can support a child with Down syndrome are:
Children with Down syndrome will often cover their ears when activities get too loud for them. Teachers need to constantly be on the look out for these signals and should monitor the noise levels of activities in the classroom. Some ways in which the teacher can support a child with Down syndrome are:
- Place the child at the front of the class
- Speak directly
- Uses gestures, expressions and pictures
- Pair verbal cues with visual cues
- Use assistive listening device: these will increase the volume of speech in comparison to the noisy background sounds of the classroom
- Sound therapy: administered via a portable audio player during regular everyday activities. The child uses a set of headphones to listen to special filtered music, poems, and stories that have been labeled as valuable. The filter contains a special device know as the “Electronic Ear”. This device alters the tone and frequencies, and as a result stimulates the ear and brain
Radio aids and Frequency Modulated (FM) systems
How can FM systems help children with Down syndrome? The FM system allows the teacher to use a microphone, that transmits the sounds loudly right into the child’s hearing aid. This method allows the information to be administered to the child with Down syndrome at a louder and more direct volume, without disrupting the other students in the class. How can this be used in the classroom? The FM system is very easy to use. The teacher simply clips a microphone onto their shirt, the child attaches the speaker to their ear, and uses the bluetooth remote to receive the sound directly. This helps the child hear everything the teacher says at a volume they can hear. This strategy also tunes out any distractions of background noises. |
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This is a short video of how the FM system works in the classroom. The narrator discusses the impact that the FM system can have a child who is hard of hearing. She also explains different cues that the teacher can look for to figure out if there is something wrong with the system, for example the child will look confused, or be looking around at their peers instead of paying attention. This video is great for teachers because it gives them tools and strategies to use to ensure that the child doesn't miss any questions or comments from their peers. The narrator also gives the viewers a sense of what sound would be like if we were hard of hearing, allowing viewers to put themselves in the childs shoes.
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This short video is narrated by a student who is deaf. He explains some of the struggles that he deals with in his learning and strategies his teachers can employ to make it a little bit easier for him. Some of the strategies that are discussed are: using lots of visuals, overheads, writing on the overheads, etc.
Although this child does not have Down syndrome, the methods he describes can also be employed to those students who do. |
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Created by Laura Rizvi
References
Collins, S. (2012). Hearing loss in children with Down’s syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.soundtherapyperth.com/benefits/downs.php
DeafTEC Tehnological Education Center. (2012, November 6). Donald1. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg6abveHFkw&feature=youtu.be
Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. (2010). Supporting the Student with Down Syndrome in Your Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kcdsg.org/files/content/Supporting%20the%20Student%20with%20Down%20Syndrome%20in%20Your%20Classroom-Teacher%20Manual.pdf
Down’s Syndrome Association Medical Series. (n.d.). Hearing problems in people with Down's Syndrome : Notes for parents & carers. Retrieved from http://www.dsmig.org.uk/library/articles/dsa-medical-series-4.pdf
Down Syndrome Education International. (2015). Health and medical issues. Retrieved from http://www.dseinternational.org/en-us/about-down-syndrome/health/
Down Syndrome Ireland. (n.d.). Hearing Problems. Retrieved from http://www.downsyndrome.ie/information-centre/health/hearing-problems/
Hearing Link. (2011). What is sensorineural hearing loss? Retrieved from http://www.hearinglink.org/what-is-sensorineural-hearing-loss
Marvel. (2012). Meet The Blue Ear. [Web]. Retrieved fromhttp://marvel.com/news/comics/18801/meet_the_blue_ear
Royal Berkshire. (2014). Hearing loss in children with Down’s syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflets/Audiology%20info_hearing-loss-in-children-with-downs-syndrome-may-2014.htm
St. John’s Medical Center. (2011, September 15). Hearing Loss in the Classroom. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrnvGKLF_Q
Starkey Hearing Technologies. (2015). Hearing loss simulator [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.starkey.com/hearing-loss-simulator
Williams, S. (2013, August 8). FM Systems: Part 3. Retrieved from http://hearinginstitute.ca/2013/08/08/fm-systems-part-3/
Collins, S. (2012). Hearing loss in children with Down’s syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.soundtherapyperth.com/benefits/downs.php
DeafTEC Tehnological Education Center. (2012, November 6). Donald1. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg6abveHFkw&feature=youtu.be
Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan. (2010). Supporting the Student with Down Syndrome in Your Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.kcdsg.org/files/content/Supporting%20the%20Student%20with%20Down%20Syndrome%20in%20Your%20Classroom-Teacher%20Manual.pdf
Down’s Syndrome Association Medical Series. (n.d.). Hearing problems in people with Down's Syndrome : Notes for parents & carers. Retrieved from http://www.dsmig.org.uk/library/articles/dsa-medical-series-4.pdf
Down Syndrome Education International. (2015). Health and medical issues. Retrieved from http://www.dseinternational.org/en-us/about-down-syndrome/health/
Down Syndrome Ireland. (n.d.). Hearing Problems. Retrieved from http://www.downsyndrome.ie/information-centre/health/hearing-problems/
Hearing Link. (2011). What is sensorineural hearing loss? Retrieved from http://www.hearinglink.org/what-is-sensorineural-hearing-loss
Marvel. (2012). Meet The Blue Ear. [Web]. Retrieved fromhttp://marvel.com/news/comics/18801/meet_the_blue_ear
Royal Berkshire. (2014). Hearing loss in children with Down’s syndrome. Retrieved from http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/patient-information-leaflets/Audiology%20info_hearing-loss-in-children-with-downs-syndrome-may-2014.htm
St. John’s Medical Center. (2011, September 15). Hearing Loss in the Classroom. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBrnvGKLF_Q
Starkey Hearing Technologies. (2015). Hearing loss simulator [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.starkey.com/hearing-loss-simulator
Williams, S. (2013, August 8). FM Systems: Part 3. Retrieved from http://hearinginstitute.ca/2013/08/08/fm-systems-part-3/