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Nearly 30 million
Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss, yet often individuals
are completely unaware of any hearing difficulties. This is largely
due to the slow progression of most hearing losses, as well as the
invisible nature of the hearing loss.
How do you know if
you have a hearing loss?
The best way to determine
if you have a hearing loss is to schedule an appointment for an audiological
evaluation. But there are many early warning signs that may suggest
you have a hearing loss. Your answers to the following questions
may help:
- Do you
hear but not understand what people are saying?
- Do you
frequently ask people to repeat what they have said?
- Do you
sometimes respond incorrectly, discovering later that you misunderstood
the question?
- Do you
have difficulty hearing when people are not facing you?
- Do you
prefer the television volume louder than other people in the
room?
- Do you
have difficulty hearing on the telephone?
- Do you
avoid noisy social situations because you cannot hear?
- Do you
experience ringing in one or both ears?
- Do you
often feel people mumble or do not speak distinctly?
- Do you
experience difficulty hearing in particular situations ( i.e.
church, synagogue, meetings, bridge or bingo games, etc.) especially
when background noise is present?
If you answered 'yes'
to any one of these questions, you may have a hearing loss. Everyone,
including individuals with normal hearing, experiences occasional
difficulty hearing. But when difficulties occur frequently, it's
time to seek help. Call your audiologist and request a hearing
evaluation.
Warning signs of hearing
loss in children are much different than in adults. Although
older children can often tell you when they are unable to hear
well, young children may not show obvious symptoms. In fact,
it is not uncommon to mistake hearing loss in children for
other problems, such as learning disabilities and attention
problems. While these conditions may exist together, it is
important to rule out hearing loss whenever a child does not
follow normal developmental milestones, especially for speech,
language and hearing.
Because birth to 3 years
of age is an especially critical period for speech and language
development, early identification of hearing loss is very important.
The table below lists normal developmental milestones for hearing
and speech according to the American Speech Language Hearing
Association. If your child does not fit into the appropriate
range according to his/her age, a hearing test is recommended.
| Normal
Hearing Development |
Birth
- Listens
to speech.
- Startles
or cries at noise.
- Awakens
at loud sounds.
- Ceases
activity at a new sound.
|
0-3
Months
- Turns
to you when you speak.
- Smiles
when spoken to.
- Seems
to recognize your voice and quiets if crying.
- Stops
activity to pay attention to an unfamiliar voice.
|
4-6
Months
- Responds
to "no" and changes in tone of voice.
- Looks
around for the source of new sounds, e.g., doorbell,
vacuum, dog.
- Notices
toys that make sounds.
- Pays
attention to music.
|
7
Months-1 Year
- Enjoys
games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake.
- Turns
and looks up when you call his/her name.
- Listens
when spoken to.
- Recognizes
words for common items like "cup," "shoe," "juice."
- Begins
to respond to requests ("Come here," "Want more?").
|
1-2
Years
- Points
to pictures in a book when named.
- Points
to a few body parts when asked.
- Follows
simple commands and understands simple questions ("Roll
the ball," "Kiss the baby," "Where's your shoe?").
- Listens
to simple stories, songs, and rhymes.
|
2-3
Years
- Understands
differences in meaning ("go-stop," "in-on," "big-little,"
"up-down").
- Notices
sounds (telephone ringing, television sounds, knocking
at the door).
- Follows
two requests ("Get the book and put it on the table").
|
3-4
Years
- Hears
you when you call from another room.
- Hears
television or radio at the same loudness level as other
family members.
- Understands
simple "who?," "what?," "where?" questions.
|
4-5
Years
- Pays
attention to a short story and answers simple questions
about it.
- Everyone
who knows child thinks he/she hears well. (teacher,
day care provider, family members)
- Hears
and understands most of what is said at home and in
school.
|
| Normal
Speech & Language Development |
Birth
|
0-3
Months
- Repeats
the same sounds frequently (cooing, gooing).
- Cries
differently for different needs.
- Smiles
when she sees you.
|
4-6
Months
- Babbling
sounds more speech-like with many different sounds,
including p, b, and m.
- Tells
you (by sound or gesture) when he/she wants you to
do something.
- Makes
gurgling sounds when left alone and when playing with
you.
|
7
Months-1year
- Babbling
has both long and short groups of sounds such as "tata
upup bibibibi."
- Uses
speech or non-crying sounds to get and keep attention.
Imitates different speech sounds.
- Has
1 or 2 words ("bye-bye," "dada," "mama," "no") although
they may not be clear.
|
1-2
Years
- Says
more words every month.
- Uses
some 1-2-word questions ("Where kitty?" "Go bye-bye?" "What's
that?").
- Puts
2 words together ("more cookie," "no juice," "mommy
book").
- Uses
many different consonant sounds at the beginning of
words.
|
2-3
Years
- Has
a word for almost everything.
- Uses
2-3-word "sentences" to talk about and ask for things.
- Speech
is understood by familiar listeners most of the time.
- Often
asks for or directs attention to objects by naming
them.
|
3-4
Years
- Talks
about activities at school or at friends' homes.
- Usually
talks easily without repeating syllables or words.
- People
outside family usually understand child's speech.
- Uses
a lot of sentences that have 4 or more words.
|
4-5
Years
- Voice
sounds clear like other children's.
- Uses
sentences that give lots of details (e.g. "I like to
read my books").
- Tells
stories that stick to topic.
- Communicates
easily with other children and adults.
- Says
most sounds correctly except a few, like l, s, r, v,
z, j, ch, sh, th. Uses adult-like grammar.
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In addition to the above
guidelines, if you answer 'yes' to any of the following questions,
a hearing evaluation is recommended.
- Does your
child say "what?" or "huh?" often?
- Does your
child have difficulty following directions?
- Does your
child have difficulty paying attention, especially in school?
- Does your
child sit close to the TV or turn the volume up loud?
- Does your
child switch ears when talking on the telephone?
- Does your
child have difficulty understanding when someone is talking
to him/her from another room?
- Does your
child watch the face of the speaker very intently?
- Has your
child had repeated ear infections?
Disclaimer: The information
provided on this website is for informational use only and is
not intended to be used as a substitute for evaluation, consultation
or diagnosis by a licensed physician or licensed audiologist.
Further, it is not intended to be all-inclusive. Always consult
with your audiologist and primary care physician regarding matters
related to your hearing.
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