Childhood Hearing Loss
 
 
1. My Child Did Not Have A Hearing Screening At Birth. When Should I Have This Done?
If your infant did not have a hearing screening done at birth you should discuss this with your pediatrician and have one scheduled as soon as possible. In the state of Georgia, approximately 400 to 500 newborns are identified with hearing loss annually. The most crucial time for language development is in the first year. For this reason it is very important for a child with a hearing loss to be identified early.
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2. What Are The Signs Of A Hearing Problem In A Young Child?
Below is a list of signs to look for according to your child’s age:



Newborn

*Does your baby startle to loud noises?

*If your baby is upset can you calm him down by talking or singing to him even if it is for a few seconds?



Three to six months

*Does your baby respond to your voice or speech?

* In a quiet setting do your baby’s eyes widen when he/she hears a loud noise or if someone is speaking?



Six to eight months

*By six months does your baby babble back to you when you are speaking to him/her?

Does he/she respond to environmental sounds without seeing the sound being made?



Eight to Twelve months

*Does your baby turn directly or quickly to a soft noisemaker or when you call his/her name?

*Does your baby enjoy music and respond by listening, or bouncing along with the song?

*Does your baby respond to the command “no”?
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3. What Should I Do If My Child Fails A Hearing Screening?
The first thing to do is to speak with your pediatrician. Your pediatrician may repeat the hearing test or refer you to an audiologist to have complete audiological testing. If your child fails a hearing test it is very important that you follow up to make sure they do not have a hearing loss. Even a mild hearing loss can impair a child’s ability to learn.
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4. I Am Concerned About My Child's Speech. Do I Need To Have His Hearing Tested?
It is very important that you have a hearing test prior to getting a speech language evaluation. A hearing loss will effect speech and language development and response to therapy.
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5. Are There Different Degrees Of Hearing Loss?
Yes, there are four degrees of hearing loss. A mild hearing loss can result in difficulty with soft speech. A moderate hearing loss can cause frequent difficulties with understanding speech at a normal level. With a severe hearing loss a child can only understand very loud or amplified speech. A profound hearing loss results in an inability to understand even amplified speech.
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6. What Should I Do If My Child Is Diagnosed With A Hearing Loss?
If your child has been tested by an audiologist and diagnosed with a hearing loss, the first thing that you need to do is to discuss this with your pediatrician. If your audiologist feels that the hearing loss would benefit from hearing aids you will need to be seen by a pediatric otolaryngologist, such as Dr. Ann White. Dr. White will evaluate your child to make sure there is nothing medically that can be done to improve the hearing before giving medical clearance for hearing aids.

Once you have obtained the medical clearance, your audiologist can then discuss the types of hearing aids available and which one would be appropriate for your child. Depending on the degree of hearing loss some children will need to have a speech and language evaluation once they have been fit with a hearing aid(s). Please check with your health insurance company to see if they cover hearing aids. It is not unusual for insurance companies NOT to cover hearing aids.
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7. What Are The Different Types Of Hearing Aids Available?
There are three different types of hearing aids available on the market:

A. Conventional:

This type of hearing aid is the most inexpensive hearing aid available. The hearing aid company sets the hearing aid parameters and the audiologist makes manual adjustments to the hearing aid. The adjustments are made based on the hearing loss. These hearing aids come in a variety of fun colors for the kids to choose from.

B. Programmable:

The programmable hearing aid is connected to a computer to make adjustments to the hearing aid based on the hearing loss. Some of the programmable hearing aids allow you to have several different programs for different listening environments. Since this hearing aid has more flexibility than the conventional hearing aid, the price is higher. These aids also come in a variety of fun colors for the kids to choose from.

C. Digital:

The digital hearing aid is very similar to the programmable hearing aid. The computer chip in the hearing aid changes the signal into a digital signal which allows sound to be clearer. Most of the digital hearing aids are self-adjusting when you go into different environments. This type of hearing aid is the newest on the market and is much more expensive then the other two types mentioned above.
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