Warning Signs That Your Child May Have Hearing Loss

According to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), out of every one thousand children in the U.S., 2 to 3 are born deaf or with impaired hearing. Childhood hearing loss may be brought on by developmental irregularities in the ear, by a middle ear infection known as otitis media, by physical injury or loud noises, or by diseases such as meningitis, measles, or chickenpox. Early childhood hearing screenings can reveal whether your child has hearing loss. The sooner the impairment is identified, the more likely the child will follow a normal developmental track.

As a parent, there are many signs of hearing problems that you should be watchful for. When your child is still a baby, such signs include a failure to be startled by loud noises, a failure to turn the head to face you when you call his or her name, being able to hear some sounds and not others, and not turning toward the source of a sound after the age of 6 months.

Children with otitis media may also pull or rub at their ears, become listless or inattentive, have fevers, complain of ear pain, often do not understand instructions, and may ask for the TV to be played louder. Other warning signs are if your child uses the words “huh?” or “what?” many times a day, has difficulty locating the source of sounds, or watches people’s faces carefully as they are speaking. As children get older, even mild hearing loss may cause delays in speech and language development and can lead to learning problems once the child starts school. It may also create emotional or behavioral problems.

These problems are why many states have programs that guarantee early hearing testing in children. The tests are painless, and can be performed even on babies. The sooner any issues are identified, the sooner they can be addressed. That’s why it is “never too soon to get a first hearing test”. We would be happy to arrange for a hearing screening for your child or children, and if any hearing problems are found, we have the expertise and resources to help solve them.