Hearing Loss in Childhood

Hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills.Children with profound hearing loss or total deafness fail to develop speech too. Most of the times there is no defect in speech apparatus but the problem is deafness, as they have never heard speech therfore they don't develop.

In children if we can identify and treat before 6 months then there is higher chance of developing social skills and to find treatments for hearing.

Causes:

Hearing loss in children can develop even as early as before birth to as later as after birth.

Some of the causes are 

Infection in mother when the child is in womb

Positive family history for deafnes 

Use of any medication during pregnacy that are harmfull to baby in womb.

Radiation exposure to mother during the first 3 months of pregnancy

Nutritional and thyroid deficency of mother 

Diabetic mother

Active smoking and acohol consumtion by mother in pregnacy

Prolong delivery, premature birt of child or low birth weight of newborn

New born jaundice and Infection

When do you suspect if a child has hearing loss?

1. If the child is sleeping comfortably without disturbance in loud sounds

2. Fail to develop speech in 1-2years

3. Performing poorly in school

4. Not understanding what you speak

The best way to identify a child hearing is by neonatal screeing.

It's suggested that every child as soon as birth must undergo neonatal screening which will help to identify any sort of hearing loss and give us time to treat and help child not only hear but also help the child in speech and being social active. Neonatal screening includes OAE and BERA, which are a type of audiological test.

Once identified hearing loss first parents are counciled regarding the condition and are trained on how to take care of their child. In most of the children if there is some hearing retained then hearing aid will help them to listen, understand and communicate. The other option is choclear implant in children where hearing is very weak. Either way upon meeting your doctor after a through assement, they will suggest you the best course of treatment.

Early identification and treatment  of hearing loss preferably before the child c

Develops how to speak will give good results. Hence meet your doctor to know more and ask for neonatal screening for your baby upon delivery.

The article is authored by Dr. Anunya Reddy, ENT, ALLERGY SPCT, FACIAL COSMETIC SURGEON