The birth of a baby is always a source of joy, but their well-being is the main concern of their parents. There are cases, such as when one of your parents suffers from deafness, in which how to detect hearing problems in children is doubly important.
Recall that in some cases deafness is genetic, although in others it is due to other causes . Premature birth, complications at birth or certain medications can cause deafness in a baby.
But regardless of whether or not you belong to a risk group, knowing how to detect hearing problems in children is useful. If this problem is detected, if it is taken on time, treatment can be started as soon as possible.
When a child is born, in most hospitals a hearing test is performed before discharge. In the event that this hearing test is not done for some reason, it is convenient for your parents to remedy it. During the first three weeks of the baby’s life it is important to have a hearing test .
How to detect hearing problems in children: the signs
If the baby successfully passes the first hearing test, that does not mean that there is no need to ensure its subsequent hearing development. One way to verify that the development is being adequate is to know some characteristics that the baby will have to present during its first year. Their parents or caregivers have to meet them, and in case of any irregularity or suspicion, go to a professional who discards it.
In addition to the pediatrician, hearing centers can also perform free hearing tests on children , such as Audiotek , which has expert audiologists.
There are usually no deaf babies without symptoms that report the problem. One of the signs of correct hearing development is the startle of the baby to hear a sudden intense sound. It is also normal for them to recognize the voice of their parents before 3 months of life. Before 6 months, a baby who hears correctly usually moves his head or eyes in the direction of noise . And before 12 months, the baby should be able to imitate some sounds that get their attention, and say words like “mom” or “goodbye.”
When a baby does not pass the ear test
If the baby does not pass the hearing test at birth, the first step is to make an appointment with a specialized audiologist. This professional will test the baby to confirm if he really has a hearing problem and the degree of it. It is a completely painless test that will not cause the least discomfort to the baby .
After performing this test and depending on the results, the audiologist can refer the baby to the otolaryngologist , the medical specialist. It will be he who indicates the options to follow, which can happen from a medical treatment to an intervention.
In the case of children who do not have hearing problems when they are babies, it does not rule out that they may have them later. The ear infections, certain diseases, medications, injuries or strong noise can cause hearing loss in children. In these cases, doing a free audiological review at Audiotek is a way to rule out problems or solve them as soon as possible.
