Hearing Loss In Children
The importance of hearing for children
Hearing is essential for normal speech and language development in
children. The internationally recommended age for identifying hearing
loss is 3 months, with intervention and rehabilitation by 6 months of
age to have the least disruption to language development, scholastic
aptitude and social interaction.
Hearing is important for learning to talk. Hearing is important for understanding and being understood. Parents, caregivers and family are most likely to be the first to notice signs of a hearing problem.
The sooner a hearing problem is detected, the sooner something can be done to help the child hear. When children can hear clearly, everything is easier for them.
For further advice and help see an audiologist or your doctor.
Hearing Check List
2 Years
Does your child:
- Follow multiple instructions such as "get the ball and bring it here".
- Repeat what you say.
- Know lots of words.
- Enjoy "story time".
- Point to a picture when asked, like "show me the baby".
- Use the names of people and things she or he knows.
- Have a name for himself or herself.
- Like the radio or stereo.
- Say simple sentences like "milk all gone".
3 Years
Does your child:
- Know a few nursery rhymes or songs.
- Understand most words.
- Find you when you call from another room.
- Sometimes use whole sentences.
- Use words like "go, me, in, big".
- Tell a story.
- Say how he or she feels.
- Remember and tell about things that have happened.
- Count to three.
- Speak clearly so that everyone can understand him or her.
- Ask lots of "why" and "what" questions.
- Like naming things she or he sees and knows.
4 Years
Does your child:
- Tell a long, clear story about things he or she has done.
- Speak well with only a few sounds wrong, like "r, s, th, l".
- Know what things are for, like "hat", "apple" and "plate".
- Like books and being read to.
- Understand most of what you say.
If you have answered "yes" or "sometimes" to most of the above questions, your child would appear to have normal hearing development. However, if you have any concerns at all about your child's hearing, please contact us or your nearest hearing specialist for a hearing evaluation.
