Children and Hearing Loss

When learning that their child suffers from hearing loss, parents understandably have questions and concerns about treatment options.  Fortunately, many children with hearing impairments can benefit from the use of hearing aids.  After an audiologist conducts an evaluation, parents will receive information about certain therapies for children and hearing loss devices that can greatly improve their child’s quality of life.

Factors such as birth defects, ear infections, or injuries can cause hearing loss in children.  While some children are born with a hearing impairment, others do not begin to show signs of hearing loss until they are several years of age.  Parents typically become concerned about hearing problems when their child fails to acquire speech and does not respond to questions or comments.  Through a series of tests, audiologists can determine whether a child has sensorineural (inner ear) hearing loss, the degree to which the child is affected, and the type of hearing aid that is most effective for specific cases of children and hearing loss.

Hearing aids work by amplifying sound, and are composed of an amplifier, receiver, and microphone.  While children of past generations were fitted with hearing aids that were bulky, prominent, and not always reliable in terms of performance, the digital hearing aids of modern times are often small enough to fit comfortably around a child’s ear and are quite effective in allowing hearing impaired children to interpret sounds more clearly.  When wearing hearing aids in one or both ears, children are increasingly capable of listening and responding to conversations in the classroom, over the telephone, and in the family home.  

Parents should be proactive in regard to the issue of children and hearing loss.  Once a child has been fitted with a hearing aid, parents will need to ensure that the device is properly adjusted, cleaned when necessary, and worn on a daily basis.  Teachers and caregivers should also be able to monitor the function of a child’s hearing aid.  Hearing impaired children will periodically need to be fitted for new aids as they grow, and additional tests may be necessary in order to gauge a child’s current level of hearing ability.

Though hearing loss can be difficult for a child to understand and accept, the use of hearing aids can inspire confidence and positively impact both academic performance and social interactions.  Whether a child’s hearing loss is mild or severe, a hearing aid can help in most instances.           

Important note: HearPod is dispensed only to those who are 18 years of age or older.

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