When your child is young, you will want to examine their hearing as part of kids care. Hearing is an important part of a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. Even if the hearing is only partially affected, it might impact the child’s ability to speak. Let’s take a look at some hearing tests and how to deal with kids’ hearing issues.
Can Hearing Problems Be Resolved?
It is important to get your child’s hearing examined early on in life as part of their kids care. If you discover hearing problems early, they can be resolved. Ideally, when your child is around three months old, you should already be aware of whether or not they have a hearing issue. You must get their hearing screened before they are older than three months. This can help prevent more serious issues down the line. More than 95% of newborns get their hearing screening in their first month. It is crucial that you also get your child tested while they are still this young because about three in every 1,000 babies are born with hearing issues.
Symptoms of Hearing Loss
After taking your child for a kids care hearing screening, you must continue to observe their hearing to see if there are any issues, even if they passed the tests. There are several hearing milestones in a child’s first year:
- Your newborn must startle when there are sudden loud noises.
- In their third month, the baby must be able to recognize your voice.
- At six months, the baby will turn its eyes toward a sound.
By the time the baby is a year old, they should start attempting to imitate sounds and speak a few words. Generally, children start by saying things like ‘Mama’ or ‘bye-bye.’
Signs of Hearing Loss
As you observe your child, here are some of the signs that might point towards a hearing issue:
- Limited or no speech
- Inattentiveness
- Learning problems
- The baby seems to respond to higher volumes only
- Failure to hear their name
Hearing is an important factor in childhood development, and kids care. As such, you must pay a lot of attention to your child’s hearing. If you have any questions about your child’s hearing or you want to book an appointment, get in touch with us.