Why It’s Important to Diagnose Childhood Hearing Loss Early

Hearing loss doesn’t just affect older adults and those who work in high-risk occupations like construction, music or carpentry. Two to three out of every thousand babies born in the United States has hearing loss at birth. Fortunately, the majority of newborns are routinely screened for hearing loss before leaving the hospital after birth. Babies born at home or at birthing centers should have their hearing checked during the first three weeks of life. If the newborn does not pass the screening, it is imperative that the baby be evaluated by an audiologist as early as possible to confirm or rule out a hearing loss.

Why is it so important to diagnosis hearing impairment early in life? Babies and children depend upon their sense of hearing to develop speech and language skills. Diminished sound to a developing brain is considered a neurological emergency. Children who “fall through the cracks” with hearing problems can experience delays in speech and language development, some of which can be irreversible if not addressed early. Kids with this type of disadvantage may go on to experience problems in school and even later in life. To prevent such delays, hearing loss needs to be identified and addressed prior to six months of age.

Who’s most at risk? Babies and children at higher risk for hearing loss include those born prematurely or of low birth weight, those who experienced a complicated birth, newborns with jaundice that required treatment by blood transfusion, children that suffered an infection like meningitis, children with a family history of hearing loss, those with a history of head injury and babies or kids who took medications known to damage hearing.

In some cases, hearing loss develops in later childhood. Be aware of signs that your child might not hear well such as turning up the volume on the television, not responding when you speak to them, speech delays that do not get better with time, and problems in school. Be sure your child is evaluated by a pediatric audiologist prior to entering school or any time that you notice a change in listening behaviors, no matter the age.

References:

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. “Early Intervention for Children with Hearing Loss”
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. “It’s Important to Have Your Baby’s Hearing Screened”