It can be worrying if your child is not speaking when they should, or they are failing to react to their name or sounds in the environment. These can all be signs of hearing issues in a child and should be checked. That said, the issue could also be with their sibling or their home environment. Early identification and intervention, possibly involving hearing care technology, can play a crucial role in addressing any potential hearing-related concerns in children.
Reaction to Noise
From the moment of birth, a baby can react to background noise. Newborn babies have the ability to hear dogs barking in the background, electronic devices, doors slamming, and people talking. If your child is not reacting to this background sound, it could be a sign of hearing loss.
If you notice a lack of reaction or response in your child, even when there are loud noises around, they might have a congenital issue in their hearing that needs attention. The first action to take is to consult a medical professional who might send you and your baby to an audiologist.
Name Response
As babies become toddlers, they should recognize and respond to their names; if they don’t, it could also be a sign of hearing loss that needs attention. If you suspect your child has hearing loss, you need to conduct a test. Make sure you stand behind them and call out their name.
When you are standing face-to-face with your child, they can see your lips moving and respond, even when they are not responding to the sound of their name. Wait until they are looking away from you and call their name. If they don’t respond to you, it’s time to consult your audiologist.
Increased Volumes
A typical sign of hearing loss in adults is listening to devices at high volumes, this is also the case with children, but in the case of children, it can be harder to recognize. Many children like to listen to TVs and devices at a high volume anyway, so make sure to conduct additional tests.
Turn the device or TV down to a lower volume to find out whether they can still hear it or if they simply prefer it loud. Either way, it’s a good idea to use lower volumes to protect their long-term hearing. If they have a hearing issue, make sure you choose the right hearing aid for their age.
Minimal Speech
Parents look forward to their child’s first words; hopefully, it will be mom, dad, or a mixture of both, and your child gets used to basic sounds and patterns. But sometimes, the first words don’t come along when they should, and parents start to worry if their child has a hearing issue.
If children are not making their first words by the two-year mark, it is a cause for concern, and you should take them to your medical professional for a check. However, they might be other reasons they are not speaking, such as an older sibling doing a lot of talking for them instead.
Final Thoughts
If your child is not reacting to the external environment or is failing to speak their first words after two years, it’s time to visit your medical professional and have their hearing checked. Always monitor hearing in children as it is crucial to their early development and their hearing health.
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