What to Do About Loss of Hearing in Babies

Loss of hearing can affect your baby’s ability to develop its social skills, language, and speech. Fortunately, the earlier you start spotting the signs and get treatments, the more chances you have that your child will regain his hearing and reach his full potential.

If you suspect that there’s hearing loss, you should call your pediatrician and book an appointment for a screening in the fastest time possible. You should not wait for these kinds of medical conditions that need treatments before they get worse.

About Hearing Loss

The loss of hearing involves a part of the ear that’s not working as it should be. The parts that may be affected include the acoustic nerve, inner, middle, or outer ear. The entire auditory system may be affected as well.

Signs and Symptoms to Look For

The symptoms may be different for each baby. You can visit Audien to get more information about your options on what to do. Screening should be scheduled, but you can look out for the following signs to confirm:

Signs with Babies

Your infant or toddler may not necessarily be startled by loud noises
They don’t turn to any sources of sounds that you make upon reaching the age of 6 months
They don’t say any single work like mama or dada by 1 year
Your toddler turns his head when he sees you, but they don’t when you try to call their names. This may be sometimes mistaken as your baby not paying attention to you or ignoring you, but it may be caused by a complete or partial hearing loss.
They seem not to hear other sounds

Signs to Look for in Toddlers

They have delayed speeches
They don’t speak clearly
Can’t follow directions
You may often hear the words “huh” from them
The TV volume is turned too high when they are the ones watching

Children and babies reach particular milestones in their communication. Their environment can affect how they act, learn, or play. Some delays in the milestone can be caused by developmental problems or hearing loss. Know more about the milestones on this page here. Although not all children can reach these milestones at the same time, it’s still best if you know what to expect at a specific age.

Diagnosis and Screening

A screening or test will tell you whether your child has a problem with its auditory system. This is a test that’s not painful, and it can be performed fast. Babies may often be asleep while getting screened, and it’s just going to take you a few minutes.

Babies

Babies have screenings at the hospital, and this is conducted no later than 1 month. If they don’t pass the screening, it’s essential to reschedule a new hearing test, but this should be done no later than 3 months for more confirmation.

Children

Their hearing should be tested in children before they are enrolled in school or if you’re concerned about their situation. Some of the toddlers may not pass the test, and they may need proper interventions as fast as possible.

Intervention and Treatments For Kids

There’s no single intervention and treatment that will apply to a particular kid. The plans usually include several months of treatments, close monitoring, changes needed as the therapy progresses, medication, and follow-ups. There are various communication options for kids who are experiencing hearing loss. These treatments are a journey that they can travel with their families, and some of their options are the following:

Using sign language as a way to communicate
There’s a technology that can help with the communication process, and these are cochlear implants and hearing aids
Correction of many types of hearing loss, surgery, and medicine
A solid support for the family and therapies that can guide the members about what to do.

Risks and Causes

The loss can happen at any time during a child’s life. This can be from birth to childhood. Some of the things that can increase the chances of getting this medical condition can include:

Genetics: There are about one to two cases where the babies experience hearing loss because of genetic reasons. The babies may have inherited some of the genes from one member of the family who is also suffering from the condition. Statistics say that 1 out of 3 infants that experience this may have the so-called genetic hearing loss syndrome associated with Usher or Down syndrome.
About 1 out of 4 in these cases may be caused by maternal infections and complications that may have gotten from a mother’s pregnancy. There may be head trauma, birth complications, and issues with the pregnancy as with the following examples:
The child was exposed to a severe inspection some days before his birth
He has spent more than five days in a hospital neonatal intensive care unit, or he had complications while in the NICU
There’s a particular need to treat a bad case of jaundice, and a blood transfusion was performed
The face, ears, or head were formed and shaped differently than the usual
Some neurological conditions and disorders were found, and it was associated with the loss of hearing
There’s an infection involved in the spinal cord and brain called meningitis
Received a bad injury that had required days of staying in a hospital

Prevention

As a parent, it’s still best if your baby doesn’t have any complications and hearing issues when he goes out. Some of the prevention tips that you can follow include the following:

Eat fruits, exercise, and live a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy
The child should have gotten the regular vaccines required by the pediatric doctor
Keep the child away from very loud noises and toys. You can visit some of the support groups and websites to help you know how to prevent that noise-induced hearing loss from being on the safe side.

Get the Right Help You Need

If you suspect that there’s something wrong with your child’s auditory system, you should seek help as soon as possible. Don’t wait for it to worsen. Your toddler may not have passed the screening, so you should book for a full test in the fastest time you can. Also, talk to your doctor about the intervention services and treatments available.