The tendency of the child will be to drop, or slur, the final syllables
of the words; to leave off the sound of final _ed_; to lose the
sharpness of the _s_; to blur the _l_; and sometimes to lose the sound
of _k_ and _c_. But, if he has learned to read, by pointing to these
letters in the words he has spoken imperfectly, he will correct his own
mistake. Prompt and increasing attention to the little fellow's speech
during the first year after deafness occurs will usually serve to fix
correct habits for life.




XV

TEACHING LIP READING


All that has been said about training the little deaf child to read the
lip movements and associate them with the names of things and of
actions, will apply also to the little boy who has suddenly been made
deaf, after speech has been learned. Be careful that he is looking at
you always when you speak to him or reply to some question he has asked,
but speak just as you would have done before he became deaf. You may
have to repeat things to him very often at first, but do not permit any
sign of impatience in your face. Do not let him get the idea that it is
a hardship to talk to him. Remember that you are changing his manner of
understanding speech over to another way, and that his present and
future happiness depends very greatly on the thoroughness and promptness
with which it is done. In all dealings with a deaf child the mother