Steve Bornstein
Hearing loss is invisible and therefore historically has not been given the attention needed. If hearing loss is undetected and/or “rehabilitative” or intervention efforts are not begun as soon after birth as possible then a child’s language, emotional, and cognitive development will be affected which will contribute to literacy and other academic difficulties later. This is the second article of a two-part series that discusses the importance of early identification of hearing loss and the implications, discussed in the context of human development. Part 1 discussed hearing loss in general and its relation to human development in detail. Part 1 also briefly discussed the terms “Deaf”, “hard-of-hearing”, and “deaf”. This present article will discuss these terms in greater detail, and how early identification is important for all three groups when considered in the context of human development.