Post-lingual hearing loss occurs after person learns to speak.

• A. In old age
• B. Before speech develops
• C. After person learns to speak
• D. During adolescence

Answer: (C)

Post-lingual hearing loss is defined by onset after language has been learned, meaning speech development has already occurred. Because the person has an established ability to speak, the hearing loss happens after that point, which makes this timing the best match for the concept. In contrast, when hearing loss occurs before speech develops, it disrupts language learning and is called prelingual. While aging or adolescence describe when the loss might begin, they don’t specify whether speech has already been acquired, which is the key distinction for post-lingual.