Distinct utterance comes slowly to the child with normal hearing, and still more slowly and imperfectly to the child whose hearing is not good.  But the continued effort to make him hear words and sentences is a very valuable exercise for him and should be faithfully continued till he is old enough to respond to the tests of hearing as outlined and it has been definitely proved that he cannot possibly tell whether ae, or (o with macron) or (e with macron) is said, no matter how loud or how near the ear the sound is uttered.

The question will naturally arise as to whether the child’s hearing of speech can be aided by an electric or mechanical device.  When it is possible to make the child perceive the sound of the vowels with the unaided voice uttered very near the ear, I believe it to be better, at first, not to interpose any artificial device.  But I have found that sometimes, in cases where the sound perception was not at first sufficient to enable the child to distinguish even the most dissimilar vowel sounds, although uttered loudly close to the ear, I could awaken the attention of the child to sound, and stimulate the dormant power by the use of an Acousticon.  After a few months I have been able to dispense with the instrument and use only the unaided voice at close range.  Later, when some vocabulary has been acquired through these auricular exercises, it is often desirable to return to the Acousticon and teach the child to use it, in order to extend the distance at which sounds can be heard.  By the use of the Acousticon, it then becomes possible to communicate by means of the ear without speaking at such short range.  It is not easy, however, to induce a child to use an Acousticon at all times, whereas an adult will take the time and trouble necessary to become accustomed to the instrument, and will put up with the slight inconveniences inseparable from its use.

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DEVELOPING THE POWER OF LIP READING

In this effort to develop the hearing, however, the necessity must not be forgotten of also training the brain to associate ideas with what the eye sees on the lips when words are spoken.  In the case of the very slightly deaf child, this visual training is not quite so important as the auricular training, but when there is much deafness it is the more important of the two.  The comprehension of much language can be given to the little deaf child by constantly talking just as any mother does to her hearing baby, only being always careful to take a position facing the main source of light, which should come from behind the child.