Your child is at that age where they seem to be testing their limits. You tell them to pick up their bedroom, they completely ignore you, continuing on watching TV. You ask them how their school day went and they walk right by you, heading to their bedroom to play video games. You struggle with what to do, and then you realize they may not be hearing you. You test out a few more statements, noticing that they never look your way, until you speak louder. You anxiously worry about your child?s hearing, and wonder how to handle the situation. Fortunately, there are many options and there are great technological devices for those who struggle with hearing as well as they should.
About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears. Parents may not realize this at first, because your child is learning so much during the first few years. Parents may brush it off as the child being confused or unaware of what you said. They might not know you were even talking to them. However, hearing loss is a reality and it should be treated, as soon as possible.
When any notice of reduced hearing or suspicion of hearing loss is noticed, it is important to visit a hearing consultant, as soon as possible. Some sources of hearing loss can be corrected, before too much damage is done. With other sources, appropriate hearing aids can reduce the damage done, if used quickly enough. Additionally, children are learning a lot at this age, and when they are unable to hear correctly, they are missing out on crucial information at different life stages. For example, a mild hearing loss can cause a child to miss as much as 50% of classroom discussion. They may not even realize that anything is wrong.
After visiting with a hearing consultant, it is likely that the hearing consultant will run a series of hearing tests. Based on the tests results, they may send you and your child to a specialist, or they may attempt to fix the hearing loss. This could mean surgical procedures to correct problems with the inner ear, or it could mean being fitted for digital hearing aids. They will size your child for a digital hearing aid that is both comfortable and functional. They will also test our a variety of hearing aid batteries, finding the best type and level for your child?s specific hearing loss problems.
For some conditions, surgery may be an option for permanent correction. For children with constant ringing ear, they may be tested with a tinnitus hearing test. The difference between tinnitus and regular hearing loss is that the child has a constant ringing in their ear, which affects their hearing. Some surgical procedures can assist with this hearing problem.
Even things like serious infections can cause minor hearing loss. This is why it is important to work with a hearing consultant who can diagnose and check all sources of hearing loss. 5 out of 6 children experience ear infection (otitis media) by the time they are 3 years old. Although in most children, this is not a big deal, in some children, it can cause hearing loss.
It is also important to find hearing aid batteries that do not provide a sense of ringing in the ear. Hearing aid batteries should barely be felt and should be very comfortable. There are different types of batteries for hearing aids and a hearing consultant is the best source for finding the best hearing aid batteries for your child.
It can be overwhelming and stressful when you realize that your child is experiencing some type of hearing loss. However, there are many options available today for improving hearing loss. These options are comfortable and are highly advanced, allowing your child to hear correctly. It is important to provide them with hearing testing and consultation as soon as a problem is noticed.