1. Early detection is important with children and
hearing loss. A hearing center specialist can help
you find the right treatment for your child.
digital hearing aids
2. Imagine taking your child to a pre school screening and they fail the hearing
test The person administering the test will likely tell you not to worry Perhaps
she sees this all the time Children don't test well when they're distracted But
then you find yourself noticing that your child doesn't always hear people the
first time You dismiss it The following year is the kindergarten screening, and
the person from child development tells you your child is not hearing within
normal ranges
3. Early detection is key Your child may have a digital hearing aids type of
hearing loss that can be treated with a hearing aid or surgery In fact, without
treatment your child may fall behind in school quickly Your first step should
be to contact your family physician They may determine your child needs an
audiologist The audiologist specializes in hearing and balance Before the
appointment, verify the one you have selected sees children
4. The test used depends on age and development A hearing center would
suggest the appropriate test For example, a baby about five months to two
years would use a test called visual reinforcement audiometry This would be a
child sitting on a parent's lap in the middle of a room When the child hears a
noise they look toward it, seeing a light Another option would be for older
children The child would be asked to put a toy in a bucket each time they hear
a sound
5. Auditory brainstem response evaluation can also be performed Your child
would have to be asleep or sedated, depending on his or her age The hearing
center would place leads on your child's head These leads would measure
how the brainstem reacts to sound Otoacoustic emissions testing is the other
option A microphone and speaker are inserted in the child's ear This test
measures the way the ear sends sound back out of the ear canal
6. When testing is complete your family should have a clear picture of what your
child needs If your child has conductive or sensorineural losses, a medical or
surgical treatment may be tried first Your child may need a hearing aid as part
of treatment Hearing aids in children are somewhat different than they are for
adults As with the rest of your child the ears will continue to grow While a
hearing aid that fits into the ear might be preferred, it's not always the best
option A good option might be a behind the ear unit
7. A hearing center should be able to offer you all the options, helping you make
the best decision for your child While a hearing aid is not going to fix the
problem, it can help amplify sound Now your child will be able to focus in
class, and hear peers Perhaps your child can even hear you when you tell him
to pick up his dirty socks Well, you can try
