Hearing loss in children affects more than 1 in 10 children under the age of 14. Can you recognize the signs?
A baby is born with 100% normal hearing. Unlike the ocular system, which continues to develop during the first months of life, the auditory system is fully developed at birth. This is why a screening test for hearing impairment is now taken at birth. However, it would seem that other events can affect hearing he alth during childhood.
To see more clearly, we spoke to Josée Chénier, audiologist, and Virginie Turcotte, Esteban's mother who was diagnosed with hearing problems around the age of 3. Here's what we learned.
Causes
At the origin of hearing loss, there are natural causes and causes related to the environment. Natural causes include genetics, pregnancy complications, head or ear trauma, repetitive ear infections and overexposure to certain noises such as electronic devices, music and even musical toys. According to Statistics Canada, approximately 13% of Canadian children aged 14 and under have asome form of hearing impairment.
What's going on in the ear?
As Virginie explained to us, the inside of the ear is a bit like a piano where the frequencies are separated into keys. If the keys are stuck, the child does not perceive certain frequencies at a level that varies in severity from child to child. To complicate matters, the two ears perceive differently. This is why, in case of doubt, a meeting with an audiologist is important, in order to undergo specific examinations and assess the hearing loss with precision.
According to Josée Chénier, audiologist, it is the difficulty of hearing in the middle of surrounding noises that represents the most frequent problem. That's why this online test is useful to screen for problems or reassure you about your child's hearing abilities.
Symptoms
Several behaviors can alert you to your child's hearing problems. For example, a tendency to use electronic devices at excessively loud volumes, not hearing well in a noisy environment, not getting an answer when calling the child, and problems at school can all be caused by hearing loss.
A delay or lack of clarity in speech can also alert parents. This is what happened to Virginie Turcotte. “He was three years old and he barely spoke. Friends and family told us not to worry, that he was more physic althat talker, that it was coming… but we decided to consult anyway. Luckily they did since Estéban needed a device. Virginie believes that the hearing test that is now part of the battery of tests taken at childbirth could have identified this problem long before, if it had existed at the time.
Tests at home and in the clinic
If your child has symptoms of hearing loss, feel free to give them this online hearing test. Josée Chénier, audiologist, explained to us that it is a good screening test since it gives an idea of the ability to hear known words through ambient noise. However, you should be aware that this test was designed for children aged seven and over who can remember numbers.
If your child seems to have difficulty hearing the numbers said by the lady, it would be a good idea to consult because even if he seems to communicate well, it may be that he has found clever ways to work around his hearing loss, such as lip-reading.
If your child has hearing problems, be aware that the devices that may be prescribed to him are more aesthetic than in the past. So you don't have to worry about appearances. Virginie Turcotte told us that Estéban's friends are even a little jealous of her “bionic” ear!
Attention deficit or hearing impairment?
According to Josée Chénier, if your childhas difficulty concentrating, you should give him a hearing test first before turning to psychological testing. Indeed, she explained to us that if the child is hard of hearing, he risks having memory problems, not listening to instructions and the fact that he does not hear low or high sounds could be perceived as indiscipline in the presence of certain people.
A few tips and a few causes
Hearing loss can be caused by music, noise and even certain games your child plays. According to Josée Chénier, the three elements that predispose to hearing loss are:
- Volume
- Frequency
- The duration
If your child listens to music or plays video games at too high a volume, too long, and too often, they are at risk of hearing loss.
Finally, be sure to clean your child's earphones to prevent the growth of bacteria that will cause excessive wax production and possible hearing loss.
