Children And Hearing Impairment

For a child to develop normally, speech is an integral part of the learning process. A child who is hearing impaired will experience difficulty interacting with others.

Children are great imitators. A hearing impairment that is not noticed results in developmental delays, as well as social and academic problems.

Hearing impairment impacts two in every 100 children. Most all hearing impairments can be helped with hearing aids and other hearing loss treatments and devices. Early diagnosis and treatment, use of hearing aids, and specialized education for hearing impaired children will help your child gain the skills and tools for successful development.

Types of hearing impairment in children:

Two Categories:Congenital: The child is born with hearing lossAcquired: Hearing loss occurring during anytime in life.

These hearing losses may be sensorineural, conductive, or mixed; unilateral or bilateral, mild to profound, and temprary to permanent.

Causes:

Infections during pregnancy such as rubella, toxoplasmosis, and cytomegolavirus (CMV)Ototoxic medication used during gestational period by the mother

Complications:

• Infection present at birth, such as toxoplasmosis, herpes, rubella, or CMV


• Neonatal intensive care


• birth weight less than 3 lbs.;


• Abnormal appearance of head, face or ears


• Blood transfusions


• Drugs used for life saving measures


• Nervous system disorders


• Genetic syndromes: Ushers, Down's, and Waardenburg's syndromes


• Heredity/Genetics: Family history of hearing impairment

Possible causes of acquired hearing loss:

• Repeated and/or untreated ear infections


• Infectious diseases such as meningitis, mumps, measles, or whooping cough


• Perforation of the tympanic membrane


• Excessive loud noise


• Otosclerosis


• Ménière's disease


• Serious injury to the head due to abuse or accidents


• Ototoxic drugs:

Many times hearing loss is only temporary, due to earwax or fluid build up or infections and can be restored through treatment or surgery.

Some children are afflicted with nerve deafness, or sensorineural hearing loss, leading to permanent disability. Most of these children have some usable hearing, and children as young as three months of age can benefit from the use of hearing aids.

Infant Screening:

Most hospitals perform hearing tests for babies shortly after delivery. Early diagnosis will detect a hearing loss in your baby and the proper treatment. In all probability, your baby was tested, but if you are not sure, check with your pediatrician.

Hearing Checklist for your Infant or Toddler:

It is imperative to know if hearing loss in young children as early as possible. The most critical time for speech development is birth to four years of age.

All children can be given a complete hearing examination to determine if there is a hearing impairment. If you believe a problem exists, call your pediatrician for an appointment for diagnostic hearing tests.

Observations:

From birth to 16 weeks, Observe if your baby:Stirs or startles at loud soundsIs calm at the sound of a familiar voicesmiles or coos to your voice

4 to 9 months:

Turn eyes toward source of familiar soundsSmile when spoken toNotice sound-making toys?Makes babbling sounds?Understand simple word/hand motions such as "bye-bye" with a wave?

9 to 15 months:

Babble a lot of different sounds?Responds to nameRespond to changes in your tone of voice?Say "ma-ma" or "da-da"?Understand simple requestsRepeat some sounds you makeUse his/her voice to attract attention

15-24 months:

Point to familiar objects when they are namedListen to stories, songs and rhymesFollow simple commandsUse several different words?Point to body parts when askedName common objects?Put two or more words together

If your baby is not responding to these cues at the appropriate age, contact your pediatrician for analysis.

Preschool & Older Children:

Volume of the TV excessively highRespond inappropriately to questionsDoes not reply when calledWatch others to imitate what they are doingHave articulation problems Academic problemsComplain of earaches or head noisesDifficulty understanding speechSpeaks differently than other children of the same age

These are not necessarily signs of hearing impairment, but may be a sign that there is a problem. Seek the help of your baby's health care professional as soon as possible.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

When proper diagnosis has been made, the audiologist will discuss with you the treatments available, and if necessary will be referred to an ENT physician for further comprehensive treatment.

Depending on the type of hearing impairment, extent of damage, and location, a hearing aid will help to improve hearing. If profound deafness is diagnosed, cochlear implants work very well with children. It will not cure this type of hearing loss, but will help your child's ability to hear sounds.

by Barb Hicks, RN/LMT