The Seven Sounds Listening Test: A Key Tool

The Seven Sounds Listening Test is a powerful tool used to assess a child’s ability to hear and process the full range of speech sounds. Based on Dr. Daniel Ling’s original "Six Sounds". This test is widely used by professionals at Hear and Say to track a child’s hearing and speech development.

What are Ling Sounds?

Ling sounds are a set of key speech sounds that span the frequency range of typical speech. These sounds are essential for evaluating how well a child hears and understands speech. The Seven Sounds test, which is an adaptation of Dr. Ling’s work, includes the following sounds: /ah/, /ee/, /oo/, /m/, /or/, /s/, and /sh/.

How Does the Seven Sounds Test Work?

The Seven Sounds test helps clinicians and parents assess how well a child hears speech sounds under different conditions. To ensure accuracy, this test is conducted in a quiet room and uses a variety of distances (close-up, 1 metre, 3 metres, and 5 metres) to see how a child hears at varying ranges.

Key Features of the Seven Sounds Listening Test:

No Visual Cues: The test is conducted without visual aids like lip-reading, ensuring the child is responding solely based on auditory information. This is done by covering the speaker's mouth or having them face away from the child.
Testing at Various Distances: The test begins at close range and is progressively extended to up to five metres to evaluate how well the child hears from different distances.
Stimulus-Response Method: To keep the child engaged, a stimulus-response game is used. For instance, the child might perform an action—like putting a ring on a tower or dropping a marble into water—when they hear the specific sound. This method teaches the child to react to sounds, providing valuable insights into their hearing ability.

Initially the test is performed close to the child, then at one metre, three metres and five metres, to provide some information about their hearing at varying distances. The test must take place in a quiet room without any competing noise, and at a conversational level of volume.

Identification of the Seven Sounds, in a quiet room, at a distance of at least three metres, gives us a good picture of the child’s ability to hear those sounds in both individual words and running speech.

The activity is kept engaging by using a toy to encourage the child to listen out for the sound and to respond. This usually sees the child performing a task when they hear a sound, such as putting a ring on a stacking tower or dropping a marble into water.

It’s important to use a stimulus-response game like this from the very beginning regardless of how old the child is, as they will then learn over time to show us they have heard the sound by making this conditioned response.

Why Are Ling Sounds Important for Speech Development?

Ling sounds are critical in speech development because they cover the entire frequency range needed to understand language. If a child struggles to hear or identify certain ling sounds, such as the /s/ sound, they may face challenges in speech and language development, especially when it comes to producing words with those sounds.

For example, if a child can’t clearly hear the /s/ sound, they might also struggle with hearing important grammatical markers like the possessive “s” in phrases like, “It’s the girl’s ball.” This may eventually impact their speech clarity as well.

What to Do If Your Child Struggles with Ling Sounds

If a child has difficulty hearing any of the Seven Sounds, it’s important to consult with a speech pathologist or audiologist. There are several potential reasons why a child might not respond to the ling sounds clearly:

Hearing Device Issues: It could be a sign that the child’s hearing device needs reprogramming, or that there are technical issues like blocked microphone covers or flat batteries.
Hearing Loss: Difficulty hearing certain sounds may indicate a hearing loss, which could require further testing or adjustments to the child’s hearing aid or cochlear implant settings.

Early Detection of Hearing Issues

Detecting hearing issues early is essential to ensuring proper speech development. The Seven Sounds Listening Test allows clinicians to track a child’s hearing and language progress over time. If your child is not responding to all the ling sounds in a quiet room at distances of three metres or more, this could indicate a gap in their hearing ability, potentially affecting their understanding of speech.

Behavioral Responses to Ling Sounds

For very young children or babies, behavioral cues such as pausing, eye movement, or turning their head can indicate that they’ve heard the sound. These subtle responses are used to gauge their hearing abilities.

Once the child can identify the sounds and start imitating them, clinicians know they are hearing well enough to differentiate between sounds. This provides valuable insight into their listening and speech processing skills.

How Parents Can Help at Home

You can conduct a simple version of the Seven Sounds test at home by playing the sounds and observing your child’s reactions. If you notice that your child is not responding to the sounds as expected, it’s a good idea to report these findings to your child’s therapist or audiologist for further evaluation.

Book a Seven Sounds Listening Test

The Seven Sounds Listening Test is a valuable tool in tracking a child’s hearing and speech development, ensuring that any potential issues are identified early. If you’re concerned about your child’s ability to hear ling sounds or their overall hearing, book a consultation with a specialist at Hear and Say for a comprehensive assessment.