Does My Child Hear?

Hearing is critical for developing speech and language. Even before a child begins to talk they are hearing speech around them and starting to learn to understand what the people around them are saying. What children hear affects their babbling. Research has shown that infants initially babble sounds used in many different languages but after a few months, their babbling changes so they are only using sounds that they hear. Children who hear Chinese make different sounds than children who hear English. This makes it clear that children are using the sound around them as soon as they are born. It is critical that children hear from birth. Parents know their children best and are in the best position to observe development.

Checklist

• By 2-3 months a child should be comforted by mother's voice

• By 3 months a child should smile when spoken to

• By 6 months a child should be beginning to babble

• By 12 months a child should be saying his first word

If you have any question about your child's ability to hear, arrange to have your child's hearing tested.

Hearing should be screened at birth and 2-3 times a year during the first few years of life and yearly throughout school years. This may be done in the pediatrician's office or at school. If there is a real question about hearing, a child should have a diagnostic evaluation and not a screen.

• After Screening

The hearing screening is only the first step. If a screening reveals that your child may have hearing loss, the next step is to schedule--and keep--an appointment for a follow-up examination with an audiologist (aw-dee-AH-luh-jist). An audiologist is a health professional who conducts a series of tests to determine whether your child has a hearing problem and, if so, the type and severity of that problem. To do so while your child is still an infant will help you make sure that he or she develops the necessary language skills to be successful--with family and friends, at school, on the job, and in all other life activities.

• Why is a follow-up examination necessary?

A follow-up examination with an audiologist can help in many ways. Audiologists can identify the kind of hearing loss a child has and sometimes the cause. The audiologist also may recommend further medical attention, such as a visit to the otolaryngologist (OH-toh-LAYR-ehn-GAHL-oh-jist). An otolaryngologist is a physician specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders who can determine the cause of a hearing loss as well as possible treatment options. If a hearing problem exists, the audiologist, otolaryngologist, pediatrician, or other professional who works with your child will point you to the various intervention services that can help you. The term intervention refers to the different steps that families can take to overcome communication barriers caused by a hearing loss. For example, you may be referred to a speech-language pathologist or a teacher who is experienced in working with deaf or hard-of-hearing children. You also may learn about special tools to help your child make use of what hearing she or he has as well as tips on how to best communicate with your child.

• When should I have the follow-up examination performed?

If your child did not pass the hearing screening, you should schedule the follow-up examination immediately. The most important period in which a child learns language is during the first six months. If you suspect that your child has a hearing loss, you should schedule an appointment with an audiologist before your child reaches three months of age. Ask the hospital or facility staff who conducted your child's screening to provide you with contact information for one or more certified pediatric audiologists. They may be able to help you schedule an appointment. You also can obtain a list of certified audiologists from the following web sites: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association at www.asha.org or American Academy of Audiology at www.audiology.org. By the time your child reaches six months of age, he or she should be using hearing aids and receiving some form of intervention services.

From the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders web site at http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/baby_screening.asp

Detailed information can also be found on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's web site at www.asha.org/public/hearing/testing/. Topics covered include risk factors, screening techniques and follow-up testing for infants and toddlers, preschoolers and school age children.