{"id":4760,"date":"2024-04-26T09:43:57","date_gmt":"2024-04-26T16:43:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hearingsb.com\/?p=4760"},"modified":"2024-04-26T09:44:02","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T16:44:02","slug":"signs-of-hearing-loss-in-toddlers-and-young-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hearingsb.com\/signs-of-hearing-loss-in-toddlers-and-young-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Signs of Hearing Loss in Toddlers and Young Children"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hearing loss<\/a> can significantly impact a child’s ability to develop speech, language and social skills. The earlier hearing loss is detected and treated, the more effective it will be in aiding a child’s language development. Recognizing the signs early in your child’s life can be crucial to effectively managing and treating their condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Hearing loss in children is screened at early ages as a basic step in pediatric care. Babies are screened for hearing loss at birth and regular hearing examinations take place until age 10 for young children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hearing loss is categorized as conductive or sensorineural. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is an obstruction or damage to the outer or middle ear that prevents sound from traveling to the inner ear. Common causes include fluid in the middle ear from colds, ear infection (otitis media), poor Eustachian tube function or a perforated eardrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensorineural hearing loss results from damage to the inner or the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. Causes can be genetic, due to exposure to loud noise, infections or complications at birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Severity of Hearing Loss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The severity of hearing loss varies. It can range from mild, where a child might miss 25% – 40% of speech sounds, making it hard to understand certain words. Or it might be profound, where very loud sounds might only be felt rather than heard. In toddlers and young children, even mild hearing loss can be critical as it can affect the ability to learn to talk. Mild cases of hearing loss may be treated with hearing aids, and speech therapy may be useful for developing language skills<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Signs of Hearing Loss in Children<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are some indications a child may be experiencing some form of hearing loss if they display certain patterns at specific age milestones. Those may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Babies (0-12 months)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n