Recognizing The Signs and Solutions of Hearing Loss In Children

For any parent, their child’s health is a top priority. Naturally, when a problem arises you will want to take the lead and have it thoroughly investigated. When it comes to looking after and recognizing the hearing needs of your children, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you suspect a problem is occurring, it is always worth exploring and you should always trust your instincts as to the best way forward. This guide has some information about recognizing the signs and finding the solutions for hearing loss in children.

Main Signs of Hearing Loss in Younger Children and Babies

Different ages have different symptoms when it comes to deafness and hearing loss. This section takes a closer look at the problem for babies and younger children of preschool age (0-5 years).

Babies tend to have a preliminary hearing test soon after they are born, but some things can still be missed nevertheless. So, if you do think something is wrong, consider the following red flags and act accordingly.

Lack of Responsiveness

If your baby or toddler is demonstrating a noticeable lack of responsiveness, then this could be a sign something is amiss with their hearing. For example, you call their name but they don’t look around. You make a noise like a big clap, and they don’t seem to notice. If noise is happening in their environment, and they are really not taking note, then this is a big indication that something is not going right. This requires immediate action and should always be taken up with their care provider as a first port of call.

Speech Delays

Delays in speech are another big pointer towards problems with hearing. Whether this is a child who is trying to say words but they don’t quite sound right, or incorrectly repeating phrases with noticeable wrong sounds, then this all counts as speech delay. Sometimes, it can also manifest as a complete aversion to speech, and any child that has not spoken after the age of two needs to have their hearing checked out.

What To Watch For In Older Children

For older children, noticing hearing loss will either be more difficult or extremely noticeable and there is not really an in between option. As a parent, you will get to know your child very well as they grow, so you should be the first person to notice if there is a sudden change in their hearing. Here are the big signs to watch out for.

Visible Signs of Distress and Discomfort

An older child will be better able to tell you or let you know if they are experiencing any level of distress or discomfort with their ears. Maybe they are asking you to repeat yourself a lot, or you see them withdrawing from conversation on a regular basis. They could be telling you that they have pain in their ears or they can’t hear very well too, and these are all relevant things to look into.

Mispronouncing Words

There is always going to be a degree of word mispronunciation at any age, even adults struggle sometimes in this respect. However, if it is happening all of a sudden and all too often, this is often indicative of a hearing problem.

Poor School Performance

Similarly, there might be a flagged deficit in their school performance from their team of educators. The teacher may convey that the child seems disinterested in their class and studies all of a sudden, or that they are struggling with paying attention. This could lead to a complete lack of engagement in their education, which needs to be rectified as soon as possible. So, what’s the best way forward?

Investigating The Cause

Investigating the cause is the only way to move. You can book an appointment with a doctor as a first step, and they will be able to figure out what is going on to cause the potential hearing loss, and even confirm or negate the concerns. You may choose to look for a specialist after this appointment, especially if the doctor did not have too much in the way of reassurance or solutions.

Finding a Specialist: What To Look For

If you do decide to go down the specialist path, make sure you know what to look for. There are hundreds of businesses out there, after all, and finding the right one for your child is the only way to ensure the best care outcome.

Child-Friendly Appointment Styles

Some audiologist clinics are not set up for children at all. They are more concerned with adult clients, and this really shows in the way they present their establishment and core services. Take the time to enquire whether or not the business can cater to children in their appointment styles before you book one, and this will give you all a bigger peace of mind before you get there.

Good Brand Reviews and Reputation

Check out the brand reviews and their overall reputation as well because this will be a guaranteed way of ascertaining the viability of the services for your child. Any parent wants the best they can find and afford, so make sure the place you’re exploring as a potential option for treatment and diagnosis can deliver on those expectations. Customer reviews tell a lot about how a place operates, and this is the first place to start with your research journey.

Strong Partnership Links

Take some time to research how any potential shortlisted audiology center handles its business. Do they have strong partnership links with innovative leaders in hearing care like phonak.com/en-uk/professionals/become-a-partner? Or is this information lacking? These are all good questions to find an answer to in order to ensure where you’re picking is the best choice.

Discovering a potential hearing problem with your child is naturally going to be a distressing event. However, there are plenty of ways to move forward and discover the underlying issue. There are also a high number of treatment options for young people, and everything is worth exploring if it brings a strong solution to it.