Back to School: Hearing Tests
Did You Know?
Even a mild hearing loss in children can cause problems with speech, language, learning, and social skills. This is why it's important to get your child's hearing screened at birth and regularly - at least once a year.
Most children will have at least one ear infection by the age of one. Ten to 20 percent of children will have ear infections three or more times, with fluid lasting an average of one month in the middle ear causing hearing loss. Persistent ear fluid is more common in children under two years, but it can be seen in children older than two. This can also occur more commonly in autumn and winter.
The middle ear space behind the eardrum usually contains air. When a child has fluid behind the eardrum, in the middle ear, the fluid reduces sound travelling through the middle ear. Sound may be muffled or not heard, especially for consonants such as Sh, S, Th. Children with middle ear fluid who would usually have normal hearing, will show a so called ‘conductive hearing loss’ at a mild or moderate degree. This hearing loss lasts until the fluid clears. In children with a congenital hearing loss this fluid may exacerbate their hearing loss causing more difficulty to hear. The good news is that this type of hearing loss is usually temporary if detected early, monitored and timely treatment is received when necessary.
How Hearing Impacts Speech and Language Development
During the first three years when children have the most problems with ear infections, they are learning to speak and understand words. Children learn to do this by interacting with people around them. It may be harder to hear and understand speech if sound is muffled by fluid in the middle ear. In children who are experiencing speech and language difficulty or have an existing permanent hearing loss, we want to ensure the best possible access to sound is maintained. The mild conductive hearing loss can be very subtle and with no pain making it hard for parents to notice. However, with regular hearing checks it can be detected and attended to.
Research conducted in this area has shown that the overall performance of the children with a history of recurring ear infections group was significantly lower, particularly in the area of auditory perception. It was also found that children with a history of ear infection required more supports at school.
Another study revealed expressive language and articulatory skills were significantly below age level expectation in this population, indicating the possible effects of chronic middle ear effusion on speech and language development.
We can reduce the impact of ear infections through regular checks and prompt medical management where necessary. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s ear health or hearing contact us to book a consultation with an audiologist.
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Telethon Speech & Hearing acknowledges and thanks all individuals and organisations for their support of our centre, including: Channel 7 Telethon Trust, Channel 7 and The West Australian
