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5 Facts You May Not Know About Hearing Problems Among Children  

Whether you are young or old, you may experience hearing loss. According to experts at the Academy of Audiology, nearly 12% of younger kids from age 6 through the teen years have hearing loss resulting from noise. Of all birth defects, hearing loss presents itself more often than any other congenital defect in the United States. Nearly 12,000 children are born each year with some type of hearing loss says the American Speech and Language Association.

Permanent hearing loss can be avoided. – There are types of hearing loss that are preventable, including noise related damage to the hearing. Using protective ear plugs or ear muffs is a must for protecting kids from noise induced hearing loss. Also, parents should lower the volume on stereos and other electronics.

Speech and reading skills may be adversely affected by hearing loss. – During the formative years between birth and 3, kids have a keen ability to learn language skills. Young children need to have proper hearing function in order to develop normal speech patterns. Good language skills are very important in order for a young child to learn how to read.

Language development is positively impacted by early intervention. – Early detection is vital. When hearing loss is caught early, children’s language skills develop normally. Due to earlier treatment, infants whose hearing loss

 

   

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was detected at age 6 months or younger proved to develop better language skills than kids whose hearing impairment wasn’t discovered until after 6 months of age.

Some hearing loss in kids can be reversible. - Children can experience hearing loss from many factors, some are reversible such as an ear infection or a build up of earwax in the middle ear. Some conditions resulting in hearing loss are temporary and can be resolved with medical treatment or minor surgery. When ear infections are not treated promptly, there is a risk of permanent hearing loss so medical treatment should be sought promptly.

Parents are often times the first to identify early signs of hearing loss in young children. - Parents are many times the first to notice symptoms of hearing loss in infants such as: no reaction to noises made by toys or not making babbling sounds like normal infants. When babies are nine months or older you should notice that they understand and respond to basic requests and mimic sounds and noises made by others. Be sure to ask your hearing specialist or audiologist for a more conclusive list of signs and symptoms to watch for, as well as his/her recommendation on when your child should have a professional hearing screening.