Hearing loss among children is really depressing news for parents. During the first six months of an infant's life, any repetitive interruptions in hearing may have permanent effect on his language facility. Infants should be able to receive feedback audibly if they are to learn how to talk eventually.
A child may be suffering from hearing difficulties if he exhibits speech or language delay or change in voice quality. Hearing impairments can be traced sometimes to middle ear infections, a common risk factor. Other reasons for hearing impairment may include different viral and bacterial infections or a family history of hearing impairment.
Those whose children suffer from middle ear infection repeatedly must consult a doctor regarding possible hearing impairment. This condition actually applies to only a small number of kids. When the baby is a month old, the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Newborn and Infant Screening recommends that he be screened to eliminate any possible of hearing loss.
If the child did not pass the first screening, he must be screened a second time to determine whether he needs an audiologist. It is necessary for parents to go see the doctor if they missed the second screening or if they notice anything disturbing about their child's hearing, speech, or language.
When changing from one doctor to another, parents must give their family histories to the new doctor. Pediatricians will know how to explain queries of parents who want to know how hearing is important to the full development of a child. Most of the time, there are no permanent problems caused by mild and short hearing loss. Speech therapists and medical caregivers may intervene immediately to provide aid for hearing loss.
A personal hearing device would aid children with more serious hearing loss to develop speech proficiency. A child would often not want to wear something in the ears. Parents must understand why a child shows resistance. In serious cases with permanent hearing damage, parents will have to consider either learning sign language along with their child, or in appropriate cases, having a cochlear implant inserted into the middle ear to transmit sound waves.
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