Description

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Hearing enables us to identify events from the sounds they make. Because sound travels a long way, we can identify events at a distance. Because sound travels rapidly we can identify events almost as soon as they occur. And because sound travels around corners we can identify events even when the objects involved cannot be seen.. One of the roles of hearing is that of watchdog. It works when we are not looking. It works when our eyes are closed. And it even works when we are asleep. During evolution, the survival advantages of such a sense are obvious. Many animals have further capitalized on hearing by generating sounds and using them for communication. In human beings, this development has merged with advanced cognitive abilities to produce spoken language. Language, regardless of its form, is key to many aspects of human development-cognitive, intellectual, literary, cultural, social, and emotional. Spoken language is the form of choice in all human societies. And hearing is crucial to the spontaneous acquisition of spoken language by the developing child. Conversely, hearing deficits place the development of spoken language at risk. And language deficits place most other aspects of development at risk. The importance of identifying childhood hearing loss as early as possible cannot be overemphasized. Nor can the importance of speedy and effective intervention designed to minimize both the hearing deficit and its developmental impact.. Boothroyd and Gatty's new book is based on the assumption that the parents are hearing and that spoken-language competence has been established as a goal. Divided into six parts, the authors first summarize basic information on sound, hearing, hearing loss, language, speech, speech perception, and child development. For some readers, this will be a review of information already covered. For others it will serve as an introduction. Either way, it provides a background from which to draw implications abou.