“Does hearing loss affect your speech?”
My mother's hearing is getting worse, and I noticed that she isn't talking right. Her words sound slurred. Is it possible for hearing loss to affect your speech?
11 Answers
Yes, hearing loss can affect your speech. Your mother should have her hearing checked by an audiologist, then get a speech evaluation as needed.
Kimberly Baradei
Speech-Language Pathologist
Hi, Thanks for your question. Hearing loss can affect different domains of speech and language, but slurred speech is not typical for hearing loss. I would recommend getting a thorough evaluation from a certified Audiologist, and a Neurologist to see what can be done to improve her status. Once she is cleared by both of those professionals, starting with a Speech therapist can improve speech clarity. All the best, Kim Baradei, MA-CCC, SLP, CBIS Elevate Speech Services.
Hello! Yes, absolutely hearing loss can impact speech! That is why deaf/Deaf individuals cannot speak, or at least, if they try, it will not come out sounding like a hearing persons speech would. I would recommend that she see an Audiologist to get a hearing test to determine what type of hearing assistive technology she may benefit from and if her speech sounds slurred getting a speech therapy evaluation could be beneficial as well. I hope that helps!
Most definitely. Get her to an audiologist for a hearing test and if she needs hearing aids get her to wear them. If her speech doesn’t improve after a few weeks, have her see a speech pathologist. Good luck and I hope her speech improves.
Yes. We hear ourselves as we speak and adjust accordingly. However, when people lose their hearing they cannot hear themselves so their speech becomes slurred. Especially the /s, z / sounds. But many speak normally too. It is important to make sure there is no other reason for the slurred speech.
Yes, hearing loss can affect a person’s ability to speak clearly. This is because part of the speaking process includes vibration in your ears. Losing this sensation makes it a bit harder to feel what you’re saying.
In short, yes; if you cannot hear yourself speak then the sounds may not come out as precise/clearly as a person with regular hearing. For instance, your mother may not be able to hear higher frequency sounds such as /f/, /s/, and "th".
This is very possible. All of what we say naturally goes through a biofeedback system in our ears and then up to our brain which tells us if what we said made sense, sounded, right, etc. (to put it simply). If our hearing is effected by a cold, or we are underwater, or if we experience hearing loss this effects that system. Think about if you have noise canceling headphones on and you attempt to talk with someone; it is very difficult because you are not receiving that feedback. If this is happening over an extend period of time people can start to demonstrate "bad habits" that are not corrected or practiced because they can not hear the mistakes.
Terlenda Lassiter
Speech-Language Pathologist
Yes it is. Hearing ourselves is a huge component in knowing if we are "punching" the words correctly. Your mom should consult both an audiologist to address her hearing and a speech pathologist who can perform aural rehabilitation (its a kind of speech therapy specifically designed for persons with hearing loss).
Cara M. Gelbart
Speech-Language Pathologist
Hearing loss can absolutely affect your speech because it affects your ability to hear what your own speech sounds like. Her ability to self-monitor her speech output might be distorted. However, elderly people also often experience muscle weakness and/or decreased motor coordination which can also cause speech to lack clarity.
Yes, it is possible for hearing loss to effect your speech. More so for younger children than adults who have been speaking appropriately for most of their adult lives. I would take her to her doctor and inquire about her slurred speech to make sure there’s nothing else going on.
Ali Matisse, MS CCC-SLP
Ali Matisse, MS CCC-SLP
