Are You Concerned
About Your Child’s
Hearing?
Hearing loss impacts 1.7 out of every 1,000 babies and 1.4 out of every 1,000 children still in development, according to CDC statistics.
The ability to communicate, connect, and interact with the world around them is a critical element in your child’s development. When their development is stunted, your peace of mind comes from knowing that your hearing care professional is both capable and dedicated to providing the best solutions.
Since we’re parents ourselves, we understand that nothing that worries you more than the health of your children, so if you suspect that your child may have a hearing loss or may be struggling to communicate due to their hearing, we’re here to help during difficult times.
Many parents, along with being concerned about their child having some form of hearing loss and how it may impact their life, also have questions and concerns about the process of diagnosing hearing loss and putting their child through the stress of visiting different specialists.
Our goal is to make this process as stress-free as possible.
Whether we find your child simply needs the wax cleaned from his/her ears or require more extensive audiological care, our team of professionals specializes in caring for children’s hearing health, and we have the experience of caring for hundreds of children across San Antonio.
Each step of the process is designed to be friendly, welcoming, and relaxing for your child.
This approach allows us to provide a more accurate assessment, lets you rest easy, and helps your child to work through the process without losing the smile on his/her face.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Children’s Hearing Loss
Q. Aren’t newborns screened for hearing loss in Texas?
A. Yes. Children are screened for hearing loss shortly after birth because hearing is a key element in speech and language development. However, these screenings do not always identify all the issues that can cause children to experience hearing loss.
Q. How do I know if my child is experiencing hearing loss?
A. Children’s hearing loss is usually diagnosed during the general testing and screening processes conducted at birth, but some hearing challenges show up in later development.
Early signs that your child could be experiencing a problem include:
- No reaction to loud noises
- No response to your voice unless there is eye contact
- Your child makes simple sounds that taper off
- Rubbing or pulling on his or her ears
- Ongoing crankiness without an apparent cause
- Stops paying attention when you or someone talks to them
- Frequent or ongoing lethargy
- Doesn’t fully understand directions
- Turns up the volume on the television or complains that it’s not loud enough
- Fever along with ear pain
We suggest seeing a pediatric hearing professional if your child exhibits any or a combination of these signs.
Q. What causes hearing loss in children?
A. Causes of hearing loss in children can include:
- Birth Defects: From genetics, prenatal issues like diabetes or pre-eclampsia, and premature birth.
- Otitis Media: A middle ear infection due to inadequate formation of the Eustachian tubes, which causes fluid to build up behind the eardrum and become infected. Severe and ongoing otitis media left untreated can lead to permanent hearing loss.
- Illness: Meningitis, encephalitis, measles, chickenpox, and the flu can lead to the development of hearing loss.
- Injuries: Head injuries or exposure to very loud noise.
- Medications: Some ototoxic medications can lead to hearing loss.
Q. How is hearing loss treated in children?
A. Because hearing loss in children leads to language and other development challenges, doctors of audiology make an extra effort to diagnose and treat it as early as possible.
Audiologists use medications to decrease fluid buildup, inflammation, and infection when treating conditions like otitis media, but some cases call for the insertion of tubes to allow the fluid to drain, prevent infection and avoid long-term, permanent damage.
Children as young as one month old can benefit from hearing aids when a hearing care professional is able to accurately diagnose and provide the right device. Cochlear implants (electronic devices placed in the inner ear to help stimulate hearing) are typically reserved for children with severe hearing loss who are not responding to other forms of treatment.
Training in alternative communication, such as lip-reading and sign language, begins as early as possible for children with severe hearing loss in order to limit the impact of hearing loss on their ability to communicate and their development.
Q. How do I deal with my child’s hearing loss?
A. The fear and anxiety of parents who have children with hearing loss are common. Parents we’ve worked with have provided us with several tips that helped them to cope, including:
Seek out experienced parents who have found ways to deal with various struggles. In addition to providing plenty of advice, this provides your child access to other children with hearing challenges.
Hold onto dreams and ambitions. Hearing loss doesn’t mean that your child won’t be able to lead a happy, rewarding, and successful life with the same opportunities as others.
Accept, love, and encourage your child. Focus on who your child is rather than their hearing challenges. This gives your child the confidence to be comfortable about taking part in everything life has to offer.
Empower your child to succeed. When you treat your child the same as those without hearing challenges, you prevent them from believing their condition makes them any less than others or incapable of succeeding in life.
Q. What does the future look like for my child with hearing loss?
A. Whether we hear well or not, the development of skills and social competencies depends on how we handle the successes and failures we encounter in life. Being overprotective of your child will make it more difficult for them to succeed.
Prepare your child to face the “real world” by setting a good example and by making fair demands transforms children into strong, independent, self-reliant adults in spite of their hearing loss. Teach them to take responsibility for their hearing loss, whether it involves properly using and caring for their hearing devices or putting their best effort into learning and mastering alternative communication techniques.
What You Can Expect During
A Child’s Hearing Assessment
When it comes to assessing the hearing of children, there are many factors to take into consideration, including the age, the child’s responsiveness, and the mood of the child on the day (we’re also parents, we understand!). That’s why we have a unique process designed specifically for kids.
There are no intimidating white coats or stressful time limits. Your child’s audiologist will dress casually, have lots of fun with your child, and ensure that we win their trust in a relaxed environment before beginning any form of testing.
Non-Invasive, Simple, And Friendly Experience
Once we have spoken to you to understand your concerns, any health conditions, and some background, we work toward winning the trust of your child. Then we’ll ask you to accompany your child to a sound booth for testing.
Testing is non-invasive, it’s very simple, and we take our time to work with your child at a pace that suits them. With smaller children, we typically start without earphones to make sure he/she is comfortable, and then we work with your child in order to deliver an accurate hearing assessment.
We Understand That It Can Take Time
One of the biggest stresses that parents have is their concern about hoping their child behaves and makes things a lot easier during the limited time appointment, but you can relax. There’s really no rush.
We understand that some kids are happy to get in the booth, while others do not feel comfortable and require much more time to get to know us, feel comfortable, and need the support of their loved ones. If your child is struggling or not comfortable, we’ll make arrangements for another appointment at a later time.
Early Detection Produces Best Results
Early detection of any type of hearing loss, but especially with children, provides audiologists with a wider range of options as well as a greater likelihood of successful outcomes.
If you suspect that your child, age four or older, has a hearing problem, contact our pediatric professionals at Audicles for a thorough, comprehensive hearing assessment.
Schedule An Appointment
It’s often the small questions and concerns that hold us back from making the right decision for our hearing health or helping a loved one in their journey to better hearing.
That’s why one of our hearing experts is on hand to help.
Simply complete the form and we’ll call you back for a friendly, no-obligation conversation to help.
Don’t want to wait? Call us at: 210-820-0525.
Hearing Resources, News and Support
With so many myths and misconceptions in the hearing care industry – our team
of professionals answer some of the biggest questions and share what you need
to know to maximize your hearing health.
Patient Stories
“Before my visit to Audicles, I wasn’t sure if I could afford hearing aids”
I was in the car with my husband, son, and two young granddaughters. Everyone was engaged in an obviously fun and spirited conversation. Although I could hear they were speaking, I couldn’t make out what they were saying. I felt sad and left out of the conversation. I realised was up to ME to do something to change things.
- Marlene P.
“You will be treated as a human, not a patient”
My parents noticed my hearing loss when I was younger. I was 3 years old and my mom would be brushing my hair and talking to me, and I would say, ‘Mom, wait, I can’t hear you. Let me turn around so I can see you!
– Lauren B.
“We often go to them feeling hopeless, and we return home feeling hopeful”
I became concerned about my hearing when my wife would ask me a question and then raised her voice asking why did I not answer her. My reaction was, ‘What question?
– Lee and Moon F.
“It doesn’t make you old. It doesn’t make you broken. It will change the way you live life“
I’ve always had bad hearing since I was a kid. But I noticed how bad it had gotten with the pandemic and wearing masks and realizing I was just good at lip reading. I work in customer service. So I felt it was affecting my job and needed to do something about it.
– Bryanna K.