My son is the middle of my three children. My oldest is very advanced and I always felt so smug when people would comment on how well she spoke for her age. Because she was ahead of the curve, I didn't have a good sense of what was normal, so when my son came along and wasn't speaking much, I figured that he was still within the "normal" range.

I mentioned it to his doctors a few times, but they weren't concerned. As he got a bit older, I started to notice that he didn't respond when I called to him from another room and that the words that he did use sounded garbled, as though he were speaking under water.

With what I know now, I would have definitely trusted my instincts and pushed his doctors harder. He is slowly catching up now, but he has missed out on a crucial learning time.

Hearing impaired children miss out on what is called peripheral learning. This takes place when a child seems not to be paying attention but still picks up on external cues. For example, a hearing child may be playing but hear his sibling being reprimanded for coloring on the wall. Later, if he has the urge to color on the wall, he'll remember that he heard his sibling get in trouble for that. A hearing impaired child most likely missed that earlier exchange. Hearing impaired children also need additional help with socialization. They may not hear another child ask them to play and may then be considered to be unfriendly.

It is very important to be an advocate for your child and educate others about how to communicate. As a parent, you should also research any programs offered by your state or local agencies. As a hearing impaired child heads off to school, it is imperative that his teachers are aware of the disability and ways to help the child compensate. With a good support plan and team in place, the hearing impaired child can thrive.

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