The ability to hear is crucial for the proper development of a child. Therefore, it is imperative to monitor the hearing ability of your child, as deafness can often go unnoticed.
Why is it important to screen for deafness?
Hearing plays a vital role not only in language acquisition but also in overall child development. If profound deafness is not detected within the first year of life, it can have severe consequences. Lack of auditory stimulation can lead to the natural deterioration of the auditory areas, making the recovery of good hearing less certain.
How can I determine if my child has hearing difficulties?
In infants under 12 months:
- They produce less sound or exhibit reduced responsiveness to sound at 4-6 months compared to earlier weeks.
- They do not react or wake up to loud noises.
- They do not turn their head towards your voice or other sounds.
In children over 12 months:
- Language delay
- Behavioral problems such as hyperactivity or excessive shyness
- Learning disabilities
- Difficulty hearing in group settings or noisy environments
- Frequent difficulty in understanding what is being said
- Unusual speech patterns or voice
- Effort to visually focus on the speaker’s face and lips
- Lack of reaction to quiet or behind-the-back speech
- Preferential response to one ear over the other when spoken to
If your child displays one or more of these signs, it is advisable to consult a doctor who can refer them for a hearing test.
Why is my child experiencing hearing difficulties?
There are various types of hearing loss, some of which are temporary while others are permanent.
Temporary hearing loss may result from blockages or fluid accumulation behind the ear.
Permanent hearing losses, known as sensorineural hearing losses, occur when there is damage to the components involved in sound processing: the inner ear (cochlea), auditory nerve, or the hearing area of the brain (auditory cortex). Causes of sensorineural hearing loss include:
- Certain congenital anomalies
- Infections contracted during pregnancy (e.g., rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, herpes, syphilis) or in childhood (e.g., meningitis)
- Exposure to environmental factors that are toxic to the auditory nerve (e.g., certain medications)
- Thyroid gland disorders
- Severe prematurity
- Severe jaundice after birth
- No identifiable cause in approximately 30% of cases
How can my child’s hearing be tested?
Hearing tests are conducted based on the child’s age and can be performed from birth.
In newborns, some centers carry out systematic screening for deafness in the maternity ward. This painless test involves placing a small probe in the newborn’s ear to emit a faint sound. The test takes only a few seconds to complete, and the results are available immediately.
There are different degrees of deafness, and in children, it is measured based on their perception of sounds:
- Mild deafness: loss of 0 to 40 dB (high-pitched sounds)
- Moderate deafness: loss of 41 to 70 dB. The child can hear loud voices but struggles with weak sounds.
- Severe deafness: loss greater than 71 dB. The child has difficulty perceiving loud noises.
What are the solutions for hearing-impaired children?
When hearing impairment is detected in a young child, prompt intervention is crucial, particularly to facilitate language acquisition. Early stimulation of the child’s auditory system is essential for optimal recovery of hearing ability.
Temporary hearing loss: The appropriate solution depends on the cause. It may involve wax removal, medical treatment for ear infections, or the insertion of ear tubes to address fluid accumulation behind the ear.
Pediatric hearing aids: Hearing aids amplify sounds and are designed to suit the child’s size, even in the early months of life.
Cochlear implant: A cochlear implant is an electronic device that converts acoustic auditory information into an electrical signal, which is directly transmitted to the auditory nerve. Cochlear implantation involves surgically placing a system in the cochlea to electrically stimulate the auditory nerve and restore sound perception. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia.
Speech therapy rehabilitation: Deafness can affect language acquisition, including vocabulary, sentence comprehension, and structuring. Speech therapists assist children in language acquisition, improving sound perception and differentiation, and developing writing skills.
In addition, the use of hearing aids, especially cochlear implants, requires collaborative efforts between speech therapists in dubai and hearing aid specialists in dubai. They work together to find optimal settings and facilitate the child’s adjustment to these devices.
Our department at Ear Care Medical Center in Dubai provides newborn hear screening and has all the necessary equipment to assess your child’s hearing at any age.
With a comprehensive team comprising audiologists in dubai, hearing aid services in dubai, and medical professionals, including surgeons for cochlear implantation in dubai, our service is well-equipped to provide early intervention and care for potential hearing impairment from birth.
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