When hearing is impaired, learning can be significantly affected. Hearing impairments may be permanent or temporary and originate from any number of factors including hereditary, illness, or injury. Outcomes for persons with conductive hearing loss may be enhanced with surgery because many of the defects associated with conduction are correctable with surgery. Sensorineural hearing impairment interferes with or prevents interpretation of auditory signals because of defects in the auditory pathways within the central nervous system. Hearing aids may offer some relief for persons with sensorineural hearing impairment but surgery is not an option.
Mixed impairment involves both conductive and sensorineural characteristics.
Each range represents degree of hearing impairment. All hearing impairments present a challenge to auditory stimuli, but persons with severe and profound impairments experience greater difficulty discriminating sounds and distinguishing auditory stimuli. Hence spoken and receptive language in social, educational, familial, and vocational settings may become quite frustrating. Considerations Intelligence is not affected by the presence of a hearing impairment. Lack of language acquisition in some format can affect cognitive development.