Hearing loss in children is more common than many think. Approximately 1-3 children out of every thousand are born with some level of hearing loss. In the US, every child has a hearing screening after birth, a practice that began about 20 years ago.
If your child did not receive a hearing screening, or if you still have concerns about your infant’s hearing, your pediatrician is a great place to start. They will likely see your child in conjunction with a pediatric audiologist, who can perform a number of different tests to identify any loss. The goal of this testing is to identify any loss in hearing before children reach three months of age. This will help to provide the most effective interventions possible.
Hearing is incredibly important for a child’s development. It is critical to intervene if your child is not hearing well. Hearing loss can also occur later in childhood, which should be caught in regular screening. Sometimes this is caused by fluid behind the eardrums, which can be helped by putting tubes in place. If you are concerned about your child’s hearing, be sure to reach out to your pediatrician to talk about the next steps that are best for your child.
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