World Hearing Day is a day dedicated to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world. Hearing loss can affect anyone but the loss in children can affect their speech development ability, language and social interactions. The earlier a child with hearing loss gets help, the better the chances are for them to reach their full potential. Here are a few possible signs that your child may be suffering from hearing loss:
- They don’t always respond
Sometimes your children or learners aren’t ignoring you. There’s a chance that the reason they didn’t respond to when you called them is that they simply didn’t hear you.
- They struggle to follow simple instructions
They may miss one or two important or simple instructions that you’ve given.
At times they will look at you and it will be obvious that they’re actively listening or concentrating in an attempt to compensate for poor hearing.
- They seem like they’re not paying attention
When you’re talking to or explaining something to them, they may seem fine some of the time and other times they appear as if they’re not paying any attention. Sometimes the ‘selective hearing’ may not be all that selective.
- They say they didn’t hear you
It’s easier to take this explanation at face value because they are likely telling you the truth. Ask them more questions and maybe even do an online hearing test to determine if you need to seek out a professional.
- “What?” or “Sorry?” is said often
If you find your child asking you to repeat yourself often it may be because they didn’t hear you the first couple of times. This is a common and important sign to look out for when evaluating if your child may have a hearing problem.
- They want the TV/radio volume louder than others
They want the volume louder than other members of the family. Another indication would be that they start speaking louder than previously or turn their heads in order to listen with their ‘good ear.’
If you suspect your child may have a hearing problem, then contact an audiologist near you.
Widex offers an online hearing test. Please note that this test is NOT a diagnostic and you should seek out a hearing professional if you suspect your child may have hearing loss. You can take the test online here: https://www.widex.co.za/en-za/online-hearing-test
Check out https://www.hearingloss.org.za/ for more information on donating to, or getting help with funding for, someone with a hearing problem.
Sources:
https://www.hear-it.org/10-signs-that-your-child-may-have-a-hearing-loss
