Does your Child have Hearing Difficulties?
Hearing Difficulties: It’s estimated that around 2% of children (up to early school age) suffer from a hearing impairment.
Does your Child have Hearing Difficulties?
In most cases of hearing difficulties, the causes are fairly easily treated but in others, the origins are more serious and may require extensive intervention.
Newly born babies
It can be difficult to quickly spot potential hearing difficulties and defects in a newly born or very young baby.
A baby’s reaction to noise stimuli may vary from one child to another. Although there is compelling evidence that babies can hear even from their days in the womb, after birth they might typically not start showing that they are reacting to noises until about 3 months.
By that age, if a baby is still not visibly responding, it’s usually a good idea to get a check from a doctor who may in turn refer you to a specialist. However, in Australia, most babies will receive a non-intrusive hearing test within the first two days after birth. Different states may use different test methodologies but the result will be the same – an initial confirmation that their hearing seems fine or conversely, that there may be a problem.
In some cases, the initial test may be inconclusive and a re-test will be arranged a few days later. A re-test does not necessarily mean that the baby has a hearing issue.
Problems with babies’ hearing
In newly-born or very young children, where hearing difficulties are detected that will probably arise from either:
- genetic conditions;
- congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. This virus is carried by perhaps 70-90% of the population and is normally harmless. However, sometimes it can cross the placenta and infect the unborn child. It’s estimated that 90% of such infections in turn result in no symptoms but occasionally the infection may have some health effects at birth including hearing defects.
Your doctor or pediatrician would discuss with you the course of treatment in both of the above cases.
Hearing problems – older children
In older children, it’s often daycare centre providers or schools that raise the first concerns. That’s because children in the relative calm and familiarity of their home environment may entirely subconsciously be adopting strategies to overcome a hearing impairment. That is much more difficult in the unpredictable bustle of school and its higher background noises.
Whether at school or home, the most common symptom is children seemingly ignoring people when they’re spoken to. Such behaviour may indicate other problems such as autism spectrum disorder but a hearing problem should always be suspected as the first possible culprit.
Where hearing problems are discovered in toddlers and early school-age children, the commonest cause by far is a blockage. That may be due to earwax, an infection, an insect or surprisingly commonly – the child has inserted something into their ear! Cleaning is usually all that’s required – though this should be done by a healthcare professional. Never insert implements into your child’s ear in an attempt to clear it.
Some hearing problems can be caused by a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum – typically following an infection. This is called “Secretory Otitis Media” and often self-resolves but sometimes a minor surgical procedure may be required.
There may be other causes attributed when hearing impairment is discovered:
- a genetic issue that had previously not had an effect;
- a blow to the head;
- some serious illnesses (e.g. meningitis) which have subsequently affected the hearing;
- perforation of the eardrum, usually as a result of an injury;
- serious ear infections;
- ongoing exposure over time to loud noises;
- certain immune system illnesses or medications (rare).
In all cases, medical intervention will be required to diagnose the cause and to define a treatment plan.
If you have any doubts about your child’s hearing, even if they have previously been given a satisfactory result after a hearing test, you should contact your doctor for a discussion without delay.
