The Wheel That Makes LSL Go Round!

The Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) journey is more like a wheel than a straight line, but it’s a proven path that helps children with hearing loss learn to listen and talk. See how it can be a helpful roadmap of what it will take to help a child with hearing loss reach the best outcomes.

When we first started talking to families about their LSL journey, we noticed that there were definitive steps on the path that seemed to come up again and again. Everyone has their own journey so the order of steps may vary but we saw them consistently enough to notice a LSL roadmap coming into view. Whether it was the initial hearing screening, the diagnosis of hearing loss, or enrollment in early intervention — again and again we saw a pattern play out as families moved from where they were to where they wanted their child to be.

The term “journey” implies a starting point and a finish line, but as any parent can tell you, raising a child (with or without hearing loss) has no finish line. It’s an ongoing process with loops along the way!

Similarly, the path to listening and spoken language isn’t a straight line but a wheel! It’s the wheel that powers listening and talking — the wheel that makes LSL go round. A wheel has no real end-point. Rather you circle back again and again on a process that continues on towards your destination.

Wheels are great for creating and sustaining momentum. They can carry you to your destination if they’re taken care of consistently. But when there’s a problem with the wheel, like a puncture in the tire, it can create delays on your journey. Similarly, you may experience delays on your journey to listening and talking. This could be waiting for new earmolds, broken or lost devices, or changes in intervention providers. While you may not be able to avoid it entirely, you can help minimize the delay. How? Make perseverance your middle name. When you acknowledge and act on these kinds of bumps in the road right away, you’ll help your child continue to progress on their journey and reach their destination of listening and spoken language.

Another way to minimize those delays will be to continually revisit steps in the process to keep the wheel strong and moving forward. For instance, a hearing evaluation isn’t a “one and done” occurrence. You may need to get your child’s hearing rechecked to ensure that the hearing technology is providing your child’s brain access to all the sounds of speech. Based on your child’s hearing loss and their progress in learning to listen and talk, different hearing technology or a different early intervention professional may be needed.

This Listening and Spoken Language wheel can be helpful in a few distinct ways:

For those who are considering or beginning the LSL journey: It can be a helpful roadmap of what it will take to help your child reach the outcomes you are hoping for.

Try this: You may consider taking it to your child’s next appointment and saying, “Ok, I need to make sure we have a plan for all these points.”

For those who are already on the LSL journey: It’s designed to refresh and remind you of what it takes, so that you can make sure all areas of your “wheel” are attended to.

Try this: You may review the wheel to refresh yourself on steps you haven’t taken in a while or sit down with your professional partner to highlight a place you’re not feeling as confident about.

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