What characterizes prelingual hearing loss?

Prelingual hearing loss is defined as a type of hearing impairment that occurs before an individual has acquired language skills. This timing is crucial as it impacts the individual's ability to develop communication skills naturally. When hearing loss occurs before language acquisition, the individual's exposure to spoken language is limited or absent, significantly influencing their language development and overall communication capabilities later in life.

In contrast, other types of hearing loss, such as postlingual hearing loss, occur after language has been developed, meaning communication skills might not be affected to the same extent, as the individual already has a foundation of language to draw from.

It's important to recognize that prelingual hearing loss often results in the need for early intervention strategies, such as hearing aids or other assistive technologies, to help support language acquisition and social communication skills development. This emphasizes the significance of timely identification and intervention for children with hearing impairments.