In Brief:
This prospective, longitudinal study examined speech and language outcomes of four children with late-identified, mild-moderate, sensorineural hearing loss, compared to 10 children with normal hearing. Purposes of the study were to determine the degree to which initial delays resolved over time, and whether phonology and morphology were vulnerable to persistent delays. Results of standardized measures showed that initial delays resolved by five years of age for three of the four children. However, persistent delays were observed in phonology and accuracy of morpheme use. Ways that auditory experience and audibility may contribute to susceptibility in these areas of development are discussed.
