Information on Hearing Loss - Hearing Testing and Children

Is My Child At Risk for Hearing Loss?

Possibly. Some babies are born with medical conditions that are associated with hearing loss. The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (1994) published a list of these conditions. Included in this list are: birth weight of less than 3.3 lbs., syndromes known to include hearing loss, and children who have differences in the shape of their head and face, especially the ear. A child who has any of these conditions is at risk for hearing loss and should have a hearing test.

Some babies develop medical complications which increase their chance of developing hearing loss. For example, any newborn who requires a blood transfusion due to jaundice or who has certain infections at birth, such as rubella (German measles) or cytomegalovirus (CMV) should be considered at risk for hearing loss. Babies or older children who have had bacterial meningitis also are at risk for hearing loss. In addition, some medications, which are typically used to treat severe infections, are known to be toxic to the hearing system.

There are other conditions associated with hearing loss besides those briefly covered here. If you have questions about whether your child is at risk for hearing loss, ask your pediatrician, family doctor or an audiologist.

Is My Child Old Enough To Have a Hearing Test?

Your child's hearing can be tested at any age. Special test methods are used with infants, toddlers and young children. For infants, the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test may be used. During the ABR test sounds are presented to the child's ears through earphones while the child sleeps. The ear's response to the sounds is measured using small electrodes taped on the infant's head and then analyzed by computer.

Newborns and older children may have their hearing screened using a procedure called otoacoustic emissions, or OAE's. During this procedure a small earphone and microphone are placed in the ear canal. Sounds are presented through the earphone and a normal inner ear responds with an echo that is picked up by the microphone.

When a child is 6 months of age or older, gamelike activities can be used to test hearing. During this type of testing, sounds are presented through a speaker or earphone. The child responds to sounds either by turning his or her head or by playing a game.

• Your baby does not startle or jump to loud sounds
• Your baby does not stop sucking or crying when there is a new sound
• Your 3-month-old baby does not coo at times or make eye contact when talked to
• Your 9-month-old does not turn toward you when called from behind or make babbling sounds, such as "baba"
• Your 1-year-old does not babble using a variety of consonant sounds (g,m,n,b,d)
• Your 18-month-old does not use single words to express his or her wants
• Your 2-year-old does not repeat words or phrases and does not use short phrases when talking
• Your child has had many ear infections
• Your child uses gestures to communicate

• Your 4-year-old's speech is difficult for most people to understand
• Your child often asks for things to be repeated
• Your child seems to watch your face closely when you talk
• Your child seems inattentive at home or school
• Your child does not communicate as well as other children the same age
• your child often responds to a question with an unrelated answer
• Your child prefers the TV or radio louder than others in your family
• Your child has had many ear infections
• Your child responds inconsistently to sound

Early detection of hearing loss is very important to a child's development. Hearing is essential for learning to talk and the most critical period for acquiring spoken language is from birth to 3 years of age.

Some hearing problems are temporary and can be improved with medical treatment. Others are permanent and may require the use of hearing aids. Early education programs also are available and play an important role in helping children with hearing concerns reach their full potential.

All too often hearing loss in children goes undetected. Parents or caregivers are usually the first to notice differences in their child's health and development. In order for families to properly advocate for their child, they must be aware of medical conditions and behaviors associated wiht hearing loss. Early management of hearing loss is essential to a child's social, academic, speech and language development.