Tips to Develop Listening Skills in Your Child

In this video Special Educator & Auditory Verbal Therapist (AVT), Ms. Kim Chadda highlights different ways to encourage good listening skills in a child with hearing impairment.

What can I do if my child has concerns with their hearing?

As soon as you observe any significant concern with your child’s hearing

1. Consult a specialist – your child’s pediatrician, an Ear Nose Throat (ENT) doctor or an audiologist.
2. Upon consultation with the audiologist, your child may be recommended a hearing aid or a cochlear implant
3. Make sure your child undergoes a routine habilitation program, once they receive the implants
4. Work closely with the child to improve listening and communication skills of the child on a regular basis

Some everyday tips to help a child develop their listening skills –

• Getting rid of any background noise when working with the child.
• Making eye-contact with the child when speaking to them.
• Getting down to face-level with the child when communicating.
• Using a combination of both verbal & non-verbal communication.
• Using gestures when speaking.
• Encouraging the child to participate in turn-taking exercises.
• Repeating whatever the child has expressed.
• Listening completely to what the child is expressing before responding.
• Alerting the child to different sounds occurring around them at the moment.
• Drawing the child’s attention to whatever the parent is working on or engaged in.
• Speaking one at a time when speaking in the child’s presence.
• Making speaking fun for the child!
• Elaborating on any topic being discussed with the child.

It is important for parents to continue working with your child in all scenarios. Activities need not be restricted to therapy settings or at home. 

Experiences such as going to the zoo, the shopping mall or even going to the zoo can be turned into a learning experience for your child, where they can learn more about their surroundings.