Signs of hearing loss

Trust your intuition if you suspect your child has trouble hearing. Children with hearing loss often learn to compensate for the lack of audible signals by being more sensitive to other informative signals around them such as changes in light as a door is opened or closed, vibrations in the floor, and air movements.

Because of this, their responses can seem quite normal, making hearing loss difficult to detect.

Trust your intuition

What you can do as a parent is to pay attention if your child’s hearing seems to be diverging from the typical hearing development 

Trust your intuition if in doubt. Make an appointment to see a hearing healthcare professional or consult your family doctor to arrange a testing of your child’s hearing.

Early intervention is important

Early intervention can have a very positive impact on your child’s future. Children are never too young to have their hearing tested, and studies show that the sooner a child is fitted with hearing aids, the better their language skills may develop.

Read more about language development in children

Signs of hearing loss in children:

Does not startle at loud sounds.

Can´t locate the source of sounds (e.g. by turning the head towards the person speaking). Children with normal hearing will usually try and locate a sound source by around the age of 5-6 months.

Often touches or pulls one or both ears. This can indicate pressure or infection in the ear.

Stops babbling or evolves more high-pitch screaming sounds at the age of around 6-8 months.

Does not respond normally to sounds (e.g. does not respond to his or her own name by around the age of 6 months).

Babbling does not evolve into recognisable speech sounds.

Needs louder sound levels in order to function (sitting too close to the TV, etc.).

Often misunderstanding spoken directions, and not responding when called.

Withdrawing from social contact and perhaps acting a bit aggressively. (May indicate frustration over the constant misunderstandings resulting from hearing loss).