Hearing loss is invisible and in many cases it is not picked up in children until it begins to affect development, behaviour or learning. Any child who has a speech or language delay should have a hearing assessment as they cannot produce a sound they cannot hear. Sometimes a hearing loss may be misdiagnosed as a learning disorder, an attention deficit disorder or behavioural disorder.
Signs or symptoms of hearing loss:
- Inconsistent response to their name when called
- Speaks louder than other children
- Prefers to have the tv louder than other people in the house
- Often asks for repetitions or says “what?” especially in noisy environments
- Speech and or language is delayed
- Teacher is concerned about the child’s behaviour
- The child is struggling in school with academics, especially reading
- Responds incorrectly when asked a question sometimes
- Child moves one ear forward when listening
The hearing test process used when assessing your child’s hearing will depend on your child’s chronological and developmental age.
Hearing Assessment Process (age 3-5)
Children within this age range are tested via play audiometry.
Outer Ear – visual inspection of the outer ear and ear canal using an otoscope
Middle Ear – tympanometry probe is placed at opening of ear canal for a few seconds to determine the movement of the eardrum in response to sound pressure waves and the health status of the middle ear space.
Inner Ear – the child is conditioned to respond to soft sounds that they hear through headphones during an activity or game, for example, throwing a block in a bucket when they hear a sound. The Audiologist will present tones for speech frequencies 500-4kHz and record the softest level the child can hear the tones. The child will also be asked to repeat words at soft levels to determine softest level they can hear words. This speech test helps to validate hearing thresholds attained during play audiometry.
Hearing Assessment Process (age 5-18)
These children are old enough to participate in behavioural audiometry.
Outer Ear – visual inspection of the outer ear and ear canal using an otoscope
Middle Ear – tympanometry probe is placed at opening of ear canal for a few seconds to determine the movement of the eardrum in response to sound pressure waves and the health status of the middle ear space.
Inner Ear – a child will raise their hand or click a button every time they hear a soft sound under headphones. The Audiologist will present tones for all speech frequencies 250-8kHz and record the softest level the child can hear the tones. The child will also be asked to repeat words at soft levels to determine softest level they can hear words. This speech test helps to validate hearing thresholds attained during behavioural audiometry.
At the end of the assessment the Audiologist will review the test results and share her impressions and recommendations based on the findings. A copy of the report will be sent to you in the mail and a copy will be faxed to your child’s paediatrician if requested.
Hearing loss may be temporary or permanent. In either case, early identification and intervention is crucial for development and academic success.