Which condition is characterized by a severe impairment in processing linguistic information through hearing?

The condition characterized by a severe impairment in processing linguistic information through hearing is deafness. Deafness can significantly impact an individual's ability to perceive spoken language, which can hinder communication, learning, and social interactions. It involves a profound inability to hear sounds, making it difficult for individuals to access auditory information necessary for language acquisition.

In contrast, hearing impairment generally refers to a broader range of hearing loss, which may include mild to moderate issues that don't completely prevent an individual from processing sounds. Deaf-blindness involves both hearing and visual impairments, which complicates communication and access to information. Other health impairment encompasses various conditions that may affect a student's health and learning but does not specifically focus on the auditory processing of language. Thus, deafness is the most accurate choice for severe difficulties in processing linguistic information through hearing.