Hearing problems in children

It has long been thought that noise-induced hearing loss is a problem for adults, not children.

However, research by US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that over 12 per cent of American children aged between six and 19 years have hearing loss caused by noise, and that the loss is permanent for around five per cent of them.

Around one in five teenagers expose themselves regularly to high-decibel noise (such as rock concerts) and about three quarters of the people who go to nightclubs experience temporary tinnitus or ringing in the ears afterwards.

Tinnitus is a known symptom of hearing damage

Apart from noise, other causes of hearing problems in children include otitis media (infection of the middle ear), genetic disorders and certain diseases (such as meningitis). Around 12 in 10,000 children are born with a moderate or greater hearing loss in both ears, and at least another 20 in 10,000 will need aids for long-term hearing loss by the age of 17 years.

If you have any doubt at all about your baby or child’s hearing, have them tested.

The earlier hearing loss is identified, the better for the child’s language, learning and overall development. Some of the causes of temporary deafness in children include:

• otitis media (infection of the middle ear). Some of the conditions
• such as meningitis mumps

Indications that your baby can hear include:

• newborn to eight weeks of age – startles or widens their eyes at sudden noises nearby
• is woken or stirred from sleep by noise 18 to 24 months – has a small vocabulary of single words
• can understand simple directions such as ‘Give mummy the ball’ two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half years – has clear speech with a good vocabulary

Some signs that your older child may have trouble hearing include that they: appear inattentive and prone to daydreaming.

If you have any doubt at all about your baby or child’s hearing, have them tested.

The type of tests used to diagnose hearing loss depends on the age of the child, but can include:

• objective tests
• such as auditory brainstem response testing
• which measure the electrical activity in the brain in response to a sound simple tests such as shaking a rattle nearby
• observing the child’s response (behavioural observation audiometry) tests with an audiometer – a machine that produces sounds such as beeps

Whether or not the child can hear certain sounds helps to pinpoint their degree of hearing loss using Sound Scouts, an American-invented, online game app test for children. Treatment depends on the cause and severity of hearing loss, but can include: assistance from a specialist teacher of the deaf to help the child make the most of their residual hearing.

Causes of temporary hearing loss in children build-up of wax in the ear canal a foreign object (such as a bead or the tip of a cotton bud) stuck in the ear canal excess mucus in the Eustachian tube, caused by a cold Causes of permanent hearing loss in children hereditary conditions that cause the inner ear to develop abnormally some genetic disorders, such as osteogenesis imperfecta and trisomy 13 loud noises, such as firecrackers, rock concerts or personal stereos injuries, such as concussion or skull fracture Signs that your baby can hear eight weeks to four months – looks towards direction of sound, and may quieten while listening six to 12 months – turns head towards known voices or sounds, starts to babble 12 to 18 months – knows the names of favourite toys, begins to imitate simple words and sounds Signs of hearing problems in older children don’t respond when called have a dip in school grades (because they can’t hear the teacher) complain of a ringing sound in their ears (tinnitus) talk too loudly watch the television with the volume turned up too high pronounce words incorrectly Diagnosis of hearing problems in children Treatment for hearing problems in children antibiotics for otitis media removal of the foreign object or wax plug hearing aids to amplify sounds a cochlear implant may be considered in the case of severe or profound hearing loss vibrotactile aids, which translate sound into vibrations felt through the skin speech therapy Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Audiologist Ear, nose and throat specialist American Hearing . (616) 555-0400, TTY (616) 555-0100, SMS 0427 366 205 Better Hearing United States , Michigann Branch. (616) 555-0200 or 1300 BHA VIC (242 842), TTY (616) 555-0200.