Speech Therapy for Children with Hearing Loss in Malta
By Ema Bartolo ·
How Hearing Loss Affects Speech and Language
Children acquire language through listening. When hearing is diminished, this developmental process encounters several obstacles:
- Delayed speech development: Children with hearing loss frequently produce initial words later and build vocabulary at a slower pace
- Articulation difficulties: Sounds that are harder to perceive — particularly high-frequency sounds like “s,” “f,” and “th” — may be produced incorrectly or omitted
- Reduced voice quality: Children may speak too loudly, too softly, or with unusual pitch patterns because they cannot monitor their own voice effectively
- Grammar difficulties: Small grammatical markers — word endings, articles, prepositions — are often quiet and easily missed, leading to simplified sentence structures
- Comprehension challenges: Following conversations, especially in noisy environments like a Maltese classroom, can be extremely difficult
Types of Hearing Loss in Children
- Conductive hearing loss: Often caused by middle ear infections, fluid in the ear, or earwax. Common in young children in Malta and usually temporary and treatable, but recurrent episodes can affect speech during critical learning periods
- Sensorineural hearing loss: Caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve. Usually permanent and may be present from birth. Children typically use hearing aids or cochlear implants
- Mixed hearing loss: A combination of conductive and sensorineural components
The Role of Speech Therapy
Speech therapy for children with hearing loss focuses on maximising communication skills with whatever hearing the child has access to. At WonderKids, therapy is tailored to each child:
Auditory Training
Children learn to listen actively — to detect, discriminate between, identify, and comprehend sounds and speech. Especially important for children who have received cochlear implants.
Speech Sound Development
Work focuses on producing speech sounds clearly, using visual and tactile cues alongside auditory input.
Language Building
Expanding vocabulary, building sentence structure, and strengthening comprehension skills. For children with hearing loss, language development often needs more explicit teaching.
Communication Strategies
Children and families learn strategies for communicating effectively — positioning for lip-reading, reducing background noise, and using visual supports alongside spoken language.
Ear Infections and Speech Development in Malta
Middle ear infections are extremely common in young children, and Malta’s climate can contribute to their frequency. Chronic or recurrent ear infections during the first three years of life can result in fluctuating hearing loss that affects speech and language development.
Early Intervention Is Critical
The earlier a child with hearing loss receives appropriate support, the better their outcomes. Malta’s newborn hearing screening programme means many babies with hearing loss are identified within weeks of birth.
Call us at +356 77048650 or email info@wonderkids.mt.