Children need to hear clearly to develop their speech and language skills.  A hearing loss can go undetected early in a child’s life, until it becomes noticeable that a child has not begun to talk.  Older children, who have already developed speech skills, can also show signs of hearing loss that then affects their participation, learning, and social development.

At a very young age, babies should

• startle at loud sounds
• turn their eyes or heads in the direction of sounds or familiar voices
• coo, babble, and use their voice to get your attention

By two years children

• use many simple words
• enjoy songs and rhymes
• follow basic commands

An older child with a loss may

• want the TV volume louder than other members of the family
• speak more loudly than previously
• say “What?” often
• appear inattentive or depend on visual cues (e.g., lipreading) when listening to you.

A loss can be congenital (present at birth) or acquired.  Almost two-thirds of children experience middle ear infections in childhood; these are considered ‘transient’ or fluctuating types of hearing loss and are also detrimental to speech and language development.

For children, a hearing loss at any age can cause significant development and emotional problems that have long-lasting effects.  Any suspected loss should be investigated immediately.