The Benefits Of Early Hearing Evaluations In Children
A child’s inability to detect sounds clearly can greatly impact their cognitive growth and spoken language development. By taking your child to an experienced audiologist for an early hearing evaluation, you can lessen their chances of hearing loss at a young age, even before they start school. At Audiology Innovations in Calgary, we are dedicated to encouraging healthy hearing habits at an early age.
Hearing Loss Evaluations in Children
In the first few years of your child’s life, hearing is critical to their social, emotional and cognitive development. Bringing your young child to an audiologist for an early hearing loss evaluation can do wonders for their individual growth. Your newborn should have a hearing screening before they are discharged from the hospital. If your baby has not had this screening, or was born at home or in a natural birthing center, contact an audiologist to set up a hearing evaluation right away. It’s important to have a screening within the first 3 weeks of your baby’s life.
If your child does not pass the initial hearing screening, there’s no need to worry. Many newborns and infants will still have debris or fluid in their ears which can interfere with the test. If this is the case with your child, your primary doctor or audiologist will redo the screening to confirm an accurate diagnosis.
Symptoms Of Hearing Loss In Children
Within the first few months of your child’s life, keep an eye out for common signs of hearing loss in children. Some common symptoms include:
- Newborn infants tend to “jump” at sudden and loud noises. If your newborn is easily startled, they could be suffering from minor hearing loss.
- By 6 months of age, your child should be turning their eyes or head towards sounds. If you find your child is not reacting to noises nearby, contact an audiologist right away.