At what degree of hearing loss may a child miss up to 50% of speech?

A child may miss up to 50% of speech at a mild degree of hearing loss. Mild hearing loss typically ranges from a 26 to 40 dB hearing threshold. At this level, children may have difficulty hearing soft sounds and may often struggle to follow conversations in noisy environments. This can lead to significant challenges in language development and communication because they may not fully catch every word, especially in more complex sentences or during rapid speech.

While moderate hearing loss, which ranges from 41 to 55 dB, can lead to more severe impacts on speech comprehension, it is at the mild level where a child can begin to lose substantial amounts of speech clarity, particularly in less-than-ideal listening situations. Therefore, recognizing the challenges associated with mild hearing loss is crucial for early intervention and support strategies.