In America, about two or three out of every 1,000 children are born with one hearing loss issue or another. Over 90% of children born with hearing defects have parents with no hearing problems. Unfortunately, despite the staggering numbers associated with childhood hearing loss issues, a lot of parents still don’t take the hearing health of their children seriously. That may be because they cannot tell there is any form of hearing disability. So, in this article, we’ll take a look at some signs to look out for as well as treatment options.
When your child hardly responds to you
Almost every parent knows that children decidedly turn deaf on purpose when they do not want to respond to being called, or when they’re only silly. But there could also be times that a child not answering, could actually be a sign of a hearing issue. A child suffering from hearing deficiency can find it very difficult, at times, to hear certain sounds. This is especially true when the child is surrounded by many other sounds. If a child has this problem, a parent may notice that they will hardly hear being called when, for example, two or more people are talking.
When your child responds with “what” a lot
For a parent, it can be a little frustrating at times when a child keeps responding “what?” to something you have already repeated a million times over. However, when you realize that your child responds in the same manner to others when they are being talked to, then that should tell you there’s something seriously wrong with their hearing. It can be very difficult to track these things sometimes, especially when we are not paying close attention to our kids.
When a child complains a lot about ear discomfort
discomfort or another. These kinds of complaints may include itchiness, tinnitus, or pain issues. In such a case, a child should be taken immediately to see a specialist and have the necessary examinations done if the pain or discomfort persists. Discomfort can also be caused by a buildup of wax. In such a case, the child may be given a simple treatment option that can be done at home.
Treatment and prevention
Several kinds of daily habits that can cause hearing defects in both children and adults. Whatever the cause is, a specialist doctor will perform all the necessary diagnosis and make the appropriate treatments available. One of the main solutions to hearing loss recommended by doctors is hearing aid. And although a hearing aid does not restore hearing, it helps to amplify sound waves received by the ears and transmitted to the auditory part of the brain for processing.
Aside from children, adults are also at risk of hearing loss. Thus, it is important to learn more about the signs of hearing loss in adults to keep adults better informed to take care of themselves and their families.
