Seniors are not the only ones struggling with hearing loss today. A study from the American Academy of Otolaryngology has found that three million children under the age of 18 have some hearing loss or deafness, including 4 out of every 1,000 newborns.
Many factors can cause hearing loss in a child and children are very vulnerable to hearing loss from as early on as the pregnancy, to as old as two years. Mothers who caught a viral infection or drank alcohol during the pregnancy have a higher risk. A low birth weight, Jaundice and even some antibiotics intravenously administered to an infant are potential causes for hearing problems.
If a child doesn’t seem to be responding to sounds or not progressing normally, parents should take the child for a hearing test as soon as possible. There are tests for all ages of kids and most take less than a half hour to perform. Some tests will be able to uncover if hearing loss is caused by a less serious condition, like buildup of earwax or fluid in the ear.
For more information and a list of signs that may show hearing loss in your child, check out the American Academy of Otolatyngology’s website. To schedule a visit for your child, call (877) 426-0687.