Why Your Child Should Get a Hearing Test

Because our hearing is something that we need throughout our lives, it is particularly important to be sure that children have a hearing test at the first sign of difficulty. As a child develops, they use sound to not only learn language and speech skills, but also, to help develop cognitive function. So this is not something to procrastinate getting done. If an impairment is caught early on, it may be able to be treated. An undetected impairment, however, may result in you or your loved one having permanent loss of function. Even mild loss needs to be checked as soon as it is noticed, and a trained audiologist will be able to let you know what will best help in each case. There are a few signs that children, in particular, may display if they are having issues and need a hearing test. If the mother of the child had German measles, consumed certain amounts of alcohol or had a viral infection during pregnancy, it may be possible that the child will have issues. Usually, there is a screening test given at birth that will detect this early on. Until a child is about six months, he or she should respond to unexpected loud noises or even soothing sounds. When those important reflexes are absent, it is important that parents have the child tested. If you pay attention to the way that infants respond to various things, you can also note any issues. For instance, they should be a bit more alert to certain sounds. As they grow, they should begin to attempt to imitate sounds around them. Usually, if there is an issue, a visit to your general practitioner can determine whether or not the loss may be caused by other things. Sometimes, it may just be that there is a wax buildup or an infection that may cause swelling to block sound. Each of those things is very quickly and easily remedied and function should return to normal shortly after. If no other cause is found, then, a test will usually be performed. An audiologist will perform the test using specialized equipment. This will determine the response to a complete range of audio frequencies. This is usually performed by being seated in a quiet room with headphones that will send sound to the ears at changing frequencies. Each side will be tested and each response is written down on a graph to determine if loss is present, which ear it is in, and how extensive it is. If there is some form of impairment, then you will be able to discuss options with the audiologist for care and treatment. This will typically involve the use of an aid device. There are a number of different types on the market today, so you will have some options. If you believe that you have a hearing impairment or you feel that a loved one does, it's important to get a hearing test right away.