Just because our children have youth on their sides, doesn’t mean their hearing cannot be damaged. It’s important to schedule a hearing screen for evaluation and early detection.
Never assume that a child has perfect hearing, just because children are untainted by the world. Hearing damage can actually occur within the womb or can also be the result of poor prenatal development. A hearing screen can detect any problems with hearing long before a child can tell us. This is an important step in creating a quality life for a child.
When to administer a hearing screen
A hearing screen should be conducted as soon as possible, and not after a child has endured problems in school or other areas of life. Preventing these issues can provide a much higher quality of life for the child, and decrease risks of symptoms later in life as well.
For babies
A hearing screen must first be conducted as early as one month after birth to ensure proper attention is given to the hearing function. It’s important to actually schedule the test before the infant ever leaves the hospital if possible.
If the infant doesn’t pass the hearing screen, they will need to take a full hearing exam no later than 3 months post-screening. If for any reason an infant’s hearing loss is undetected, there are measures for remedying this situation later in childhood.
For children
Sometimes hearing loss is not detected until later in childhood, despite measures to monitor this risk. In many cases, delayed hearing loss can be the culprit. This is why it’s important to schedule a hearing screen at 2 years of age as well. A child can also experience what’s called progressive hearing loss, where hearing can become worse over time. That’s why these checks should be performed more often.
Following up
When an infant or child fails a hearing screen, they should be scheduled for a full hearing test or auditory evaluation. An audiologist will ask questions pertaining to the child’s history in order to get a complete understanding of where the hearing loss originates. Many factors govern the origin of hearing loss and can also provide an answer to a possible solution.
There are many places to get a hearing screen completed. The Family Diagnostic Clinic provides this hearing screen in order to evaluate your child’s health. To receive further information and consultation, please contact the Family Diagnostic Clinic today.