Hearing Loss in Children

Ear infections are the most common cause of temporary hearing loss in young children.
1 in 800 babies are affected by hearing loss at birth.
Of the babies identified with hearing impairments, nearly half are not considered high risk for permanent hearing loss.
Around 15% of school aged children have a hearing loss in one or both ears.
The average age of identification of hearing loss is 2½ to 3 years old, well past the critical period for speech development.

Discuss a hearing assessment with your doctor if:

Loud noises do not startle your baby by 3 or 4 months of age or if your baby does not turn towards the source of a sound.
Your baby notices you only when he or she sees you.
Your baby does not experiment with sounds, other than gurgles and vibrating noises that he or she can feel.
By one year of age, single words such as “dada” or “mama” are not spoken.
Your child does not always respond when called.
Your child hears some sounds but not others.
Your child has had an infectious disease such as measles, mumps or meningitis.
Your child has had recurrent ear infections or has allergies.
Your child has been exposed to extreme noise levels such as loud music.

Hearing Loss