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Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months?

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Title: Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months?
Language: English
Authors: Kristin M. Uhler (ORCID 0000-0002-0040-6479), Jinal Shah, Phillip M. Gilley, Alex Kaizer (ORCID 0000-0003-2334-5514), Cynthia Hunnicutt, Angela Madrid, Andrea D. Warner-Czyz (ORCID 0000-0003-1099-9914)
Source: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research. 2026 69(3):1230-1248.
Availability: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) (DHHS/NIH)
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) (DHHS/NIH)
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) (DHHS/ACL)
Contract Number: K23DC01358
R01DC021068
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Infants, Toddlers, Hard of Hearing, Assistive Technology, Language Acquisition, Age Differences, Auditory Discrimination, Word Recognition, Morphemes, Socioeconomic Status, Verbs
DOI: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00719
ISSN: 1092-4388
1558-9102
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among speech discrimination at 9 months of age, word recognition at 30 months of age, and mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLUm) at 33 months of age among children who are hard of hearing (CHH) and children with normal hearing (CNH). This study also explored early sociodemographic and audiological variables that may influence communication outcomes in CHH and CNH. Method: Participants included 18 CNH and 32 CHH with early and well-fit hearing aids (HAs). Measures included speech discrimination in response to vowel and consonant stimuli at 9 months, word recognition at 30 months, and a spontaneous language sample at 33 months. Results: Group-level differences were not observed in speech discrimination or word recognition but emerged for language outcomes. Specifically for language outcomes, CHH had shorter MLUms and produced fewer mental state verbs than CNH. Vowel discrimination and word recognition were related to each other, and word recognition was related to MLUm. Consonant discrimination did not relate to any other variables. Higher MLUm was related to maternal level of education, hearing status, and daily device use. Additionally, daily device use at both 9 and 30 months correlated with word recognition at 30 months. Conclusions: Early auditory measures (speech discrimination and daily device use) relate to later speech recognition and MLUm in young children wearing well-fit HAs. Clinicians should consider these early metrics, as well as spontaneous language samples to capture real-world conversational skills, to identify young CHH at risk for poorer language outcomes.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1499679
Database: ERIC
FullText Links:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months?
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  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kristin+M%2E+Uhler%22">Kristin M. Uhler</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0040-6479">0000-0002-0040-6479</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jinal+Shah%22">Jinal Shah</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Phillip+M%2E+Gilley%22">Phillip M. Gilley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alex+Kaizer%22">Alex Kaizer</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2334-5514">0000-0003-2334-5514</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cynthia+Hunnicutt%22">Cynthia Hunnicutt</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Angela+Madrid%22">Angela Madrid</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Andrea+D%2E+Warner-Czyz%22">Andrea D. Warner-Czyz</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1099-9914">0000-0003-1099-9914</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language%2C+and+Hearing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research</i></searchLink>. 2026 69(3):1230-1248.
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  Data: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 2200 Research Blvd #250, Rockville, MD 20850. Tel: 301-296-5700; Fax: 301-296-8580; e-mail: slhr@asha.org; Web site: http://jslhr.pubs.asha.org
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 19
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  Data: 2026
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  Group: SrcSuprt
  Data: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) (DHHS/NIH)<br />Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) (DHHS/NIH)<br />National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) (DHHS/NIH)<br />National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) (DHHS/ACL)
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  Data: K23DC01358<br />R01DC021068
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Infants%22">Infants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toddlers%22">Toddlers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hard+of+Hearing%22">Hard of Hearing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Assistive+Technology%22">Assistive Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Acquisition%22">Language Acquisition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Auditory+Discrimination%22">Auditory Discrimination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Word+Recognition%22">Word Recognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Morphemes%22">Morphemes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+Status%22">Socioeconomic Status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Verbs%22">Verbs</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00719
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1092-4388<br />1558-9102
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among speech discrimination at 9 months of age, word recognition at 30 months of age, and mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLUm) at 33 months of age among children who are hard of hearing (CHH) and children with normal hearing (CNH). This study also explored early sociodemographic and audiological variables that may influence communication outcomes in CHH and CNH. Method: Participants included 18 CNH and 32 CHH with early and well-fit hearing aids (HAs). Measures included speech discrimination in response to vowel and consonant stimuli at 9 months, word recognition at 30 months, and a spontaneous language sample at 33 months. Results: Group-level differences were not observed in speech discrimination or word recognition but emerged for language outcomes. Specifically for language outcomes, CHH had shorter MLUms and produced fewer mental state verbs than CNH. Vowel discrimination and word recognition were related to each other, and word recognition was related to MLUm. Consonant discrimination did not relate to any other variables. Higher MLUm was related to maternal level of education, hearing status, and daily device use. Additionally, daily device use at both 9 and 30 months correlated with word recognition at 30 months. Conclusions: Early auditory measures (speech discrimination and daily device use) relate to later speech recognition and MLUm in young children wearing well-fit HAs. Clinicians should consider these early metrics, as well as spontaneous language samples to capture real-world conversational skills, to identify young CHH at risk for poorer language outcomes.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1499679
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1499679
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-24-00719
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1230
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Infants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Toddlers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hard of Hearing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Assistive Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Language Acquisition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Age Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Auditory Discrimination
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Word Recognition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Morphemes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic Status
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Verbs
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Is There a Relationship between Infant and Toddler Speech Discrimination Abilities and Mean Length of Utterance at 33 Months?
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              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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