10 Sound Test Ling-Madell-Hewitt For Monitoring Listening

The LMH 10 Sound Test For Monitoring Listening
Joan Hewitt AuD FAAA, CCC-A, TOD
Jane Madell Ph.D., FAAA, CCC-A/SLP, LSLS Cert AVT

Hearing technology has improved significantly since the advent of the Ling 6 Sound Test (2006). Joan Hewitt and Jane Madell recommend adding four consonant sounds /n/, /h/, /z/, and /dj/ to better cover the Low, Middle, and High frequencies. The LMH Test screens the low, mid, and high frequencies to get a better idea of a child’s speech perception.

L ➼ Ling - Low
M ➼ Madell - Mid
H ➼ Hewitt - High

The goal of the LMH Test and all speech perception measures is to determine what a child is hearing and what they are missing. The information can then be used by the audiologist to adjust technology settings to provide better access to frequency bands not being perceived. Speech perception and production need to be monitored regularly to identify consistent errors patterns and then management.

Children who are deaf and hard of hearing must have excellent access to sound or hear very well with their technology if they are going to be able to use listening to learn spoken language and develop good literacy skills.

Learn More: 
The HearingHealthMatters.org The LMH Test For Monitoring Listening – Jane Madell and Joan Hewitt

Red Flags: Identifying Barriers to Optimal Auditory Development - Fall 2021. Hearing First Learning Experience  facilitated by Joan HewittAuD FAAA, CCC-A, TOD and Jane MadellPhD, FAAA, CCC-A/SLP, LSLS Cert AVT

A Scale To Measure Parental Involvement in Young Children With Hearing Loss

The SPISE-R (Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy-Revised) is a promising tool for use in early intervention to better understand parents’ strengths and for counseling needs regards supporting their young child’s auditory access and spoken language development.

Having a better understanding of parents’ beliefs, knowledge, confidence, and actions can provide professionals in early intervention with information regarding parents’ areas of strengths (areas in which they are most knowledgeable and confident) and areas in which to provide additional support or guidance.(Ambrose, Appenzeller, & DesJardin, 2020)

Learn about the research “Beliefs and Evaluating Self-Efficacy of Parents of Young Children with Hearing Loss” go to Appendix A to download the full scale. Below is a sneak peek of the three-page scale.

Ambrose, S. E., Appenzeller, M., & DesJardin, J. L. (2020). Evaluating self-efficacy in parents of children with hearing loss. The Hearing Journal, 73(9). doi:10.1097/01.hj.0000717176.09147.0d

What tools do you use to identify parents’ needs? 

Roots of Language Develop in a Baby’s Brain Before They Can Talk!

I was recently asked to jump into a discussion as an SLP was beginning to work with a family of a 4-month-old who is being fit with a BAHA due to atresia. She asked for suggestions for strategies and where to begin. The first reply was to share music as a way to lay the foundation for listening and spoken language which I second. I jumped in and share that…

I believe modeling reading together with the baby is a powerful way to begin. I love the catchphrase - Read Early. Read Often. I explain that the roots of language are developing in a baby’s brain even before they can talk. Most parents have heard that reading to their child is important but few know exactly why. I like to say that the more words your baby hears over time, the more words they learn. This is simple but helps families connect the dots between reading early and listening and spoken language learning.

I intentionally say this in many different ways so parents are clear that reading together with their baby grows their brain for listening and talking. Each session, I suggest modeling reading and sharing a book while coaching the parents on strategies and also on choosing age-appropriate stories. Hearing First has abundant resources on reading aloud strategies to investigate, incorporate, and share with the parents.

To get started, a few of my favorite books are board books with simple, yet colorful realistic photographs or pictures. I am not a fan of the First 100 Words naming types of books or the only black and white images. Rather, I suggest books with rhythmic language and melody that repeats throughout the book. I love Nursery Rhyme books which contain traditional rhymes, songs, and poems that can be read while rocking or nursing. Some of my early favorites include

• Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?” by Bill Martin Jr.

• Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown

• Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb” by Al Perkins.

• Moo, Baa, La La La! by Sandra Boynton

• Peek a Boo Who by Nina Laden

• Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox

• Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

• Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers

• Pat The Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

• Big Book of Nursery Rhymes by Miles Kelly