THURSDAY, Sept. 18, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- There's a new Internet tool that lets parents of deaf babies with cochlear implants monitor their babies' progress in early speech development.
The Web site was created by Purdue University speech-language pathologist David Ertmer. The interactive Web site provides parents with audio examples of baby jargon, such as squealing and babbling. These samples help parents recognize when their child has made progress in early speech development.
There's also information on how parents can help infants and toddlers develop listening and speech skills. Here's where you can find the Web site.
"This site provides information about the initial stages of speech development in young children with normal and impaired hearing," Ertmer says.
"Infant sounds are difficult to categorize because they fail to conform to adult speech patterns. At the site, we provide audio examples and practice identifying vocalizations so that parents and clinicians can recognize when the child begins to produce more mature speech patterns," he says.
Ertmer created the site because most parents, and even some professionals, don't know what sounds a child with a hearing aid or cochlear implant should be making as they learn to talk.
"Without firsthand listening experience, the identification of speech problems in very young children may be delayed simply because many professionals are unable to recognize the hallmarks of vocal development. Parents and caregivers can also use the information at this site to monitor how a child is learning to use their cochlear implants or hearing aids," Ertmer says.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about cochlear implants.
