What To Do When Your Child Has Hearing Problem

The term “hearing loss” is used when audio-metric tests demonstrate a child is not responding to sounds which are established as normal hearing levels. Hearing loss does not necessarily mean a complete inability to hear. There are degrees of hearing loss, referred to as: mild, moderate, severe and profound. Sometimes mild hearing loss may go unnoticed, while severe and profound hearing loss makes it impossible for a child to develop speech and language skills without help.

Children learn how to speak by hearing and imitating the sounds of the people around them. The sooner your child has access to sound, the better. If your baby has a hearing problem, using a hearing device early on and other communication options can help avoid speech delays and problems. There are many types of hearing problems in children. Many of these problems result in hearing loss. This loss may be only temporary but it can also be permanent. It is important that parents and other caretakers recognize the signs of hearing loss. The sooner you recognize a hearing problem, the better it will be for your child.

Parents have many questions and must make difficult decisions when their child is diagnosed with hearing loss. Children are not simply small adults, they are different in many respects, and their hearing loss must be evaluated and treated differently than would be the case for adults with similar hearing profiles. Parents who are knowledgeable about hearing, hearing loss and related issues are usually better advocates for their children.

Approximately six out of every one thousand children born have some degree of hearing loss. Children may also acquire hearing loss after birth from illness, trauma and genetic factors. An undiagnosed hearing loss can have an impact on the child’s language development, educational achievement, and emotional stability. At least two in every one thousand children will experience hearing loss severe enough to prohibit their ability to develop speech and language unless specific therapeutic intervention is provided. However, when children with hearing loss are identified at an early age, fit with appropriate and beneficial amplification which they use consistently, and are trained to use their residual hearing to the maximal level for understanding speech, they can acquire age-appropriate speech and language skills (listening, speaking, and comprehension) which enable them to function effectively in the hearing world.

What Causes Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss can be present at birth, or it may develop sooner or later in life. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by problems during pregnancy or delivery. Many things can cause hearing loss in a child. Hearing loss at birth is called Congenital Hearing Loss. Hearing loss that happens after birth is called Acquired Hearing Loss.

Congenital Hearing Loss can be caused by genetic factors, but it also can be caused by other things, like an infection during pregnancy, prematurity, injury at birth, and other health conditions.

Acquired Hearing Loss can result from many things, including frequent ear infections, viral and bacterial infections like meningitis or measles, a head injury, and exposure to very loud noises.

It is often difficult to pinpoint what has caused hearing loss in a particular child. Hereditary factors cause a large percentage of hearing loss in children. The hearing loss may be caused by a defect of the outer or middle ear, but more often the damage exists in the inner ear (cochlea). Genetic counseling can be helpful to the family in determining whether heredity is the cause. Although this information cannot help the child who has hearing loss, it may assist in family planning and ultimately may be important information for the child.

Signs That Indicate That Your Child Has Hearing Problems

It is more difficult to detect hearing loss in older children, whose speech skills are already developed. Nevertheless, the following guidelines can help parents detect a possible acquired hearing loss.

1. Increases Volume

If your child increases the volume on the television, radio, or computer too high, it could be a sign of hearing loss. So also is a child that speaks in a higher volume than most children. Children with unilateral hearing loss are often accused of being loud. This is important, because hearing loss in one ear can be harder to spot as the hearing ear sometimes masks, though it does not compensate for, childhood hearing loss. It has been showed that unilateral hearing loss can cause the same delays and cognitive problems as hearing loss in both ears.

Parents of young children often complain that they don’t answer when called, so how can you tell the difference between “selective” hearing and a genuine hearing problem? The key is in consistency. If a child hears and responds to you majority of the time, then they may have “tuned” you out on the one occasion they did not respond. But if in addition to repeatedly not answering your calls or responding to things you have said, the child often looks confused when asked a question, seems slow to answer, answers incorrectly or then asks to have things repeated, you could be seeing the first signs of a problem. Asking “What?” more than is typical or if a child needs to look directly at you in order to hear, this might indicate that they are reading your lips, and may also be signs of hearing loss.

2. Speech Problem

If your child says words incorrectly, has delays in language and communication, feels more comfortable with gestures, these could be signs that your child is not hearing everything said or not processing sounds in the correct way. Note: a lisp is not typically associated with hearing loss and is a relatively common speech disorder.

If your child seems confused by directions, brings the wrong item, responds in a way that makes no sense, or consistently asks for things to be repeated, he could have childhood hearing loss. Children with hearing loss often confuse what is being told to them. That means they have difficulty with language. They also have issues with speech and how they express themselves.

Often times, children with hearing loss avoid social situations, sports, parties and family events. These get-togethers can cause a feeling of being overwhelmed by their inability to communicate and understand. Sadly if a child has hearing loss and is asked why he or she avoids these situations, they might not know. To them, their hearing loss is normal, so the child remains unaware that they are not hearing at the same level as everyone else.

Effects of Hearing Loss

The impact of hearing loss varies among individuals. Research has shown that some children experience little or no difficulties as a result of their hearing loss, while others may be affected in a number of ways. Some of these ways are:

1. Soft voices may be unclear

Voices may seem unclear, especially if the speaker has a soft voice or is some distance away.

2. Difficult hearing in noisy environments

Hearing in noisy conditions can be more difficult with a mild hearing loss than with normal hearing. This may impact on how well a child hears in the classroom.

3. Delayed speech and language development

Hearing loss can cause delayed speech and language development too. According to research conducted in Nashville, USA in 1998, school-aged children with mild hearing loss have a higher risk for educational difficulties and academic delays.

4. Lowers self-confidence

Hearing loss also reduces self-confidence. Children with hearing loss tend to have less self-confidence than children with normal hearing.

How Can You Help Your Child with Hearing Loss?

Parents have many options to choose from regarding their child’s method (or mode) of communication. However, there are many things to consider when deciding which course of action is best for your child and your family. It is important to fit hearing aids very early in children with hearing loss. The following steps can help your child immensely.

• Gain your Child’s Attention Before Speaking: try to make sure that your child is focused on listening before you speak to him
• Face your Child When Speaking: Ensure your child can see your face clearly, speak normally, and don’t speak to your child from another room or at a distance. Keep your hands away from face when speaking. Seeing your face will give your child extra clues if any speech sounds are missed. Encourage your child to look at you while you are speaking.
• Limit excessive distracting noise where possible: Try to limit the noise around your child when and where possible. For example, turn the TV off or down or move to another room so it is not competing with your voice when you are speaking to your child.
• Ensure your child’s teacher is aware of the hearing loss and implications in the classroom, this will allow the teacher to adopt appropriate strategies in the classroom to assist your child.

Some children may require more than just communication strategies. However, amplification device options can be used to help them. Some of them include:

• Hearing aids
• Personal FM system
• Sound-field amplification system

Your child’s hearing loss is a challenge you can defeat, many people with hearing problems have been able to fight this issue and become successful people in their lives, and your child is no different.