Symptoms and Causes of Hearing Loss in Children
Hearing loss can happen at any time, and can affect a child’s ability to learn, speak, communicate and comprehend if not caught early. Read ahead to learn more.
Causes of Hearing Loss in Children
Children imitate sounds to learn to communicate, and it is usually a passive process - if they have hearing loss they can miss much of the language and speech that is going on around them.
A number of factors can lead to childhood hearing loss and can occur if a child:
- Was born prematurely or had complications at birth
- Has a family history of congenital hearing loss
- Was exposed to very loud sounds or noises/li>
- Suffered from infections such as meningitis
- Was given medications that can contribute to hearing loss
- Exposure to certain viruses such as measles
Symptoms of Hearing Loss in Children
Some possible symptoms of hearing loss to watch out for - does your child:
- Not react to or get startled by loud noises?
- Not imitate sounds or say simple words like “mama”?
- Not recognize a parent’s voice?
- Pull at or rub their ears? Complain of ear pain? Or suffer from frequent ear infections?
- Not respond when called or spoken to? Or answers inappropriately?
- Turn up the television to excessive volumes?
- Ask “What?” a lot?
- Have problems articulating or mispronounce words regularly?
- Have learning problems in school?
- Is unable to self-soothe by humming or making noises?
These are only some of the indicators that your child may have a hearing problem. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, contact your family doctor or local audiologist for testing and/or treatment.
How Hearing is Tested in Children
There are different, age appropriate methods for testing hearing in infants and children depending on their age and developmental status. Behavioral tests watch for how a child responds to sounds and loud noises. Physiological tests are used for children who are too young for behavioral tests, and partially measure hearing function to help find which auditory system isn’t functioning as it should. After your child has been tested, the audiologist will discuss the results with you as well as the recommended treatment, if applicable. For cases where a hearing aid is recommended, Beltone has several options available.
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