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A recent study shows that infants with sensorineural hearing loss develop different brain network patterns during the first year of life. Researchers used fNIRS scans on more than one hundred infants and found that children with typical hearing begin to show clear left-hemisphere specialization linked to language. Infants with hearing loss, especially those with more severe loss, did not show this shift. Their brains kept a more even pattern of activity across both hemispheres, which suggests that the usual language pathways are not forming on the same timeline.
The first year is a sensitive period for shaping how the brain organizes language and higher thinking skills, so missing sound or accessible language during this window may alter long-term development. The researchers note that early access to sound or a full language system, such as sign language or early hearing technology, may help support more typical brain growth. They also highlight the need for long-term follow up to understand how early interventions influence later language and cognitive outcomes.
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