Today, there are universal hearing screenings available for newborns. This has to identify 80 to 90 per cent of hearing issues and conditions early on. This allows children a chance to receive early intervention and learn relevant and essential language skills much earlier in their lives.
However, it’s important to note that even if they passed the screening as newborns, they might still show signs of a genetic condition or progressive hearing loss. Children often don’t show signs of hearing loss until they are older. If you wonder whether your child may or may not have a condition, you must know the signs to look out for.
Here are a few things you should pay attention to:
No Reaction to Loud Sounds
Most parents are familiar with the fact that babies hate loud noises. They immediately cover their ears, cry or run away from the source of the sound. For instance, babies may not like it when you drop something or take the trash out of the kitchen. Children with hearing loss won’t detect or react to these sounds.
Insensitivity to Unusual Sounds
Children with a hearing issue may not seem to notice things that sound odd. For instance, they may not notice a fire alarm, or they may not react at all to the sound of fireworks or sirens. If they do notice the sound, they may not identify it or understand what it is.
Trouble Responding to Your Calls
If you notice that your child does not respond when you call their name, this may also be a sign of something wrong. It’s recommended that you call your child’s name from different directions or get their attention with a few claps. This will help you to identify whether they have difficulty hearing your voice.
Minimal Interest in Speech
Children who have hearing loss may not show much interest in speech. If you notice that your child is not responding to speech sounds, you may want to take them to a professional.
Toddlers or babies may not communicate when they are experiencing hearing problems. However, older children and teens should be able to provide you with clues that there is something wrong with their hearing.
Lack of Response to Voices
Children with hearing loss will have trouble understanding and relating to the sounds they hear. For example, they won’t distinguish between the voices of their parents and other voices or sounds. It can be a challenge for them to tune out or filter out different sounds that may be distracting.
This is why many children with hearing loss have trouble grasping the meaning of voice-related words or phrases. This can cause them to have difficulty understanding language and communicating with their peers.
Listening Difficulties
Children can’t listen to their communication if they have trouble hearing. If your child does not understand what you are saying or can’t respond to simple instructions, you must be worried. They likely have trouble hearing what is being said. Complex instructions can also be quite tough to follow.
The Bottom Line
People with hearing loss are fully capable of living great quality lives. However, to ensure that they can live well, it’s important to detect hearing conditions and issues early on. This gives them the time and space to adapt and navigate society better.
Unfortunately, most children with hearing loss are not diagnosed until older. This is why early detection is so important. If your child shows any of these signs, you must take them to a professional.
If you need a hearing loss test or treatment, we can help you. CH Care is an independent, locally owned and operated business that specialises in hearing assessments and hearing aid fitting and maintenance. Let’s talk about your hearing today. Call us at 1800 432 748 or book an appointment online!
