Pediatric Audiology

The causes of hearing loss in children 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.<l/i>
• Medications. Some ototoxic medications can lead to hearing loss.<l/i>

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.

Medications to decrease fluid buildup, inflammation, and infection are often used to treat otitis media, but treatment often calls for the insertion of tubes to allow the fluid to drain, prevent infection, and avoid long-term, permanent damage.

Children as young as 1 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 development.

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 a lesser class of individuals or incapable of succeeding in life.

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. Making fair demands that transform 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.