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May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!
May is “Better Hearing and Speech Month.” According to the American Speech and Hearing Association, 46 million Americans are affected by some kind of speech, voice, language or hearing impairment. It is hoped that awareness will be raised during this month.
Hearing: Hearing loss can happen at any age. Parents should always be alert to signs of hearing loss in their children. The most common cause of hearing loss in children is otitis media, the medical term for a middle ear infection.
Speech: Take a close look at your child’s ability to speak clearly. Learning to say all of the sounds correctly is a gradual process. If your child’s speech sounds significantly different from his peers, he may have a speech disorder.
May is a great month to remind children of the importance of using good speaking and listening skills. A few suggestions for communicating effectively are to:
· speak slowly and clearly with good sound production,
· use appropriate volume when speaking,
· look at the speaker when listening
· take turns during conversation
· use an appropriate volume when listening to an iPod!
