Hearing Impairment Symptoms
If your child has hearing impairment or hearing difficulty, they will find it difficult, but there are steps that can be taken to help. Before this is possible, however, you first need to identify whether your son or daughter is suffering from hearing loss in the first place.
Loud Noise
One of the most obvious signs of hearing impairment is that your son or daughter does not react to loud sounds. Obviously, this can prove dangerous. Loud noises are often used to identify impending danger. If your daughter can't hear road noises, for example, she may not notice approaching cars. Parents are not advised to intentionally startle their children, but if they don't react to loud noise, consider taking them to an audiology clinic to have their hearing tested.
TV Volume Level
Kids love TV. If you notice that the sound is especially loud, it may just be that they love having the TV on loud, but it could also be a sign that they are struggling to hear. If the TV is loud and your daughter is straining in order to hear, then this is a good indication that something is wrong.
Speech Development
By the age of approximately one year, your daughter may have said her first word, although some children take longer than this. By 18 months, even if she hasn't started speaking, she should be able to understand some basic spoken instructions, and she should respond to those instructions. If you are not getting any kind of response when talking to your daughter, this is another sign that she should be tested for hearing problems.
A Perceived Lack Of Attention
There are different forms of hearing impairment. Some people struggle to hear any noise at all, others can hear noises but only as if they are muffled. It is also possible that your daughter could be struggling to hear noise at a certain pitch or register. If you notice that they respond to certain noises but not to others, try to determine if there is a particular range that they can and cannot hear.
Hearing Screening
Babies are screened at an early age, typically within the first month, but it is common for hearing impairment to be caused by illness or trauma. This means that a lot of children do not develop symptoms of hearing loss until after they have had their screening. Similarly, most children have their hearing screened before they start full time school, but if you are worried you can have additional checks.
Treatment Options
Hearing loss treatment will vary according to the type and severity of the hearing impairment your daughter has, but in most cases, treatment is non-invasive and painless. It will usually lead to an improvement in their life, so the end result is absolutely worth the screening and the resulting treatment. If you are in any doubt about your child's hearing, get them tested today.
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