How To Tell If Your Child Has Hearing Problems Before Its Too Late
Children need to be able to hear the world around them to develop speech and language skills during the first three to five years of life. If they can’t hear what’s being said, it can lead to speech problems later on.
Telling whether your baby can hear or not, though, isn’t easy. At that age, you can’t just ask them or get any clues from what they say, so you have to look out for other signs.
Hearing loss in early childhood is one of the leading reasons children need to go to pediatric speech therapy later on in their lives. In many cases, the ear canal can become blocked because it is so narrow, leading to repeated infections and muted tones reaching the ears.
However, hearing loss can affect children at any stage, including those at school. And this can have a knock-on effect on their education, confidence, and friendships.
So what can parents do to tell whether they have hearing loss or not?
Not Being Startled By Loud Sounds
Humans are born with only a few in-built reflexes. And one of them is the ability to react to loud noises. High volume sounds can startle babies, causing them to look more alert or cry. So if you hear a loud bang and your child doesn’t respond, it could indicate that they’re not able to hear well.
Pay particular attention to how your baby reacts during a thunderstorm or when they hear a siren. They should automatically perk up and start paying more attention to their surroundings.
How your child reacts is usually a function of their underlying temperament. They won’t automatically start crying or look startled. But you should notice something, especially if they did not expect the noise.
Not Turning Towards Sound After Six Months
By around six months, babies should be able to turn and face the direction of particular sounds. For instance, when you speak, they should look in your direction. If they don’t, it could be an indication of a problem in one ear or both.
The ears are complicated pieces of machinery. As sounds travel through the air, the ears pick up on them at slightly different intervals. This delay is essential because it enables the brain to work out which directions sounds are coming from. Children who can only hear in one ear can sometimes react to noises in their environment, but they won’t always know which way to turn. So you could be speaking to them loudly, but they don’t automatically know where you are. They have to search around with their eyes first.
If you notice this type of searching behavior, it is a sign that your child needs an ear test. One of their ears might be blocked or have another issue preventing sounds from getting to the brain.
Not Saying Words Like “Mama” And “Dada” By One Year Of Age
Babies should be able to say words like “mama” and dada” by the age of one. If they can’t, then it could be a sign of hearing problems.
Remember, these are words that you’ve been using consistently over the first year of their life. They should be able to recognize and use them.
Only Turning Their Head When They See You
Also, be sure to work out why your child turns his or her head. If they turn it because they see you walk into the room, it doesn’t necessarily mean that their hearing is okay, especially if they fail to do the same when you call their name.
Problems With The Ear
Ear problems fall into three distinct categories: inner ear, middle ear, and outer ear.
The outer ear includes the ear canal and the auricle – the part of the ear that’s visible. If you notice a lot of wax around the opening to your child’s ear, it could be a sign of a blockage – something that can affect the amount of sound that gets through to the inner ear.
If there are problems with the inner or middle ear, you won’t be able to see them from the outside. However, audiologists have sophisticated tools that they can use to confirm hearing loss and what’s causing it. Often, it is something as simple as excess earwax. But occasionally, it can be problems with the bones of the inner ear or the cochlear.
If you notice any of the above signs, don’t assume that your baby can’t hear. Always take them to see a professional so that you can get a real diagnosis.
