Coexisting Hearing Impairment in Children Presenting With Speech and Language Delay: A Case Series Highlighting the Importance of Routine Audiological Assessment

Background

Speech and language delay is a common reason for referral to developmental pediatric services. Hearing impairment is an important and potentially manageable cause but may be overlooked because its clinical presentation often overlaps with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other neurodevelopmental disorders. In Myanmar, where universal newborn hearing screening has not yet been routinely implemented, delayed recognition of hearing impairment remains an important clinical challenge.