9 Signs Your Child May Have Hearing Loss

Introduction

Hearing is crucial for your children’s learning ability. Even in the womb, children can begin to recognize sounds, and from the very first day in the world, they begin to develop knowledge and skills from speech and environmental sounds. For children, hearing is key for personal development, and without it, you will find them challenged in many aspects of life.

Children don’t just have to learn how to eat, walk, or express their emotions, but they also have to learn how to speak and learn all the skills taught at their schools, such as writing and reading, social skills, etc. Learning is easier if you can hear what is being taught. Children with hearing issues tend to become tired quickly from the extra energy they have to put in to make sense to the world. Their interaction with others is also affected because of hearing loss.

From birth to four months, your child should:

• stir or wake up to loud noises
• calm down at a familiar sound 
• respond to your voice

From nine to 15 months, your child should:

• repeat simple sounds
• respond to name
• make babbling sounds

From 15 to 24 months, your child should:

• point to body parts when asked
• follow basic commands
• listen to rhymes and stories

How to identify your child’s hearing issues?

For identifying the problem, first, you need to know the signs of hearing loss. This blog aims to give you the knowledge you need to recognize signs that your child may have hearing loss.

• Your child seems to hear just right some of the time and then not answer at other times

• Your child wants the TV to sound louder than other members of the family

• Your child asks “what?” or says “huh?” more frequently than he used to

• Your child moves one ear ahead when listening, or he complains that he can only hear

• out of his “good ear” 

• Your child’s grades drop or his teacher remarks that he doesn’t seem to hear or respond

• in the classroom

• Your child says that he didn’t understand you. Many parents assume their children are

• not giving attention when in fact, there may be an unidentified hearing loss

• Your child starts to talk more loudly than before

• Your child looks at you eagerly when you speak to him. He may be depending on visual

• cues

• Complains of ear pain, earaches or noises

• Cannot understand over the phone or switches ears frequently while talking on the

• phone

If you speculate your child may have hearing loss, get their hearing tested and get the hearing aids if required.