Signs That Your Child Might Have Hearing Loss

When it comes to development, healthy hearing is a great attribute to have. For children to understand the world around them, they need to be able to hear what's going on. Unfortunately, some children may experience hearing loss after birth. They may need hearing aids.

Regular Development Progression Standards

As your child grows, they should meet certain hearing milestones. These help to verify that their hearing is developing as it should. The first milestone is set at three months. It's achieved when your child recognizes your voice. You will notice that loud noises will startle them and they will make a cooing noise.

The next milestone occurs at six months. Your baby should be able to recognize your familiar voice. They should also turn their head toward any interesting sounds that happen. This could be a voice or a laugh. At this stage, a child without hearing loss will be able to babble back and forth with you.

At nine months, your baby should be able to understand basic words, such as no, bye-bye, daddy, and mommy. At 10 months, they should be babbling sounds that are starting to sound like speech. When they reach 12 months, you should be able to recognize one or more of their spoken words. By 18 months, your child should be putting together simple phrases. At 24 months, they should have a vocabulary of 200 to 300 words.

Common Signs Of Hearing Loss

Even if your child isn't born with hearing loss, they can develop acquired hearing loss over time. This may appear only months after birth or even years later. There are some key signs that you'll want to be on the lookout for. These will help determine if your child needs further assessment.

• Hears okay sometimes and not others.
• Always turning the TV volume up.
• Often asking "huh?" and "what?'.
• Teacher notes that your child doesn't respond in class.
• Moving one ear toward you when listening.
• Seems to not be paying attention often.
• Starts to speak louder than they did before.
• Listens with intensity to pick up on your verbal cues.

Is Hearing Loss Treated With Hearing Aids In Children?

It's imperative that you seek professional help when you think that your kid has hearing loss. The most common form of treatment utilized for hearing loss are hearing aids. These are small devices that sit within the ear. They help to amplify the sounds that your children are unable to hear.

While hearing aids are often used, your kid may need further treatment for the condition. This is why it's so imperative that you have both a pediatrician and an audiologist. They should communicate with each other about your kid's hearing loss.

Call Us Today

If you suspect that your child has developed hearing loss, then it's time to give us a call. Let our helpful and friendly hearing care professionals assess your child. We can determine the best course of treatment, such as hearing aids, for their condition.