Hearing Impairment in Children
Data collected from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2005 indicated that .5% or 5 of every 1000 children between the ages of 3 and 17 are affected by a hearing impairment. In 2009, the CDC reported that approximately 97% of infants are screened for a hearing impairment within the first month of life, and of those infants screened 1.6% did not pass the hearing screening; indicating a mild to profound hearing impairment in one or both ears (CDC, 2005). A child's speech, language, social, and academic skills can be significantly affected by even a mild hearing impairment.
An audiologist is the health professional that tests a child's or adult's hearing to determine if there is a hearing loss, what type of loss it is (conductive or sensorineural), and is responsible for the fitting of hearing aides if aides will help the individual to hear. An ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) doctor, also called an otolarnygologist, is the physician that is involved with determining the reason for an individual's hearing loss. Frequently, an audiologist will work in the same office as the ENT doctor.
Symptoms of hearing impairment in young children include not turning towards a sound, not startling to a loud sound, not responding to a person talking to them if the child's back is to the speaker, wanting the television volume turned up loud, not talking very much, difficulty making certain sounds in his or her speech. Frequent ear infections and certain infections or disorders can cause a hearing loss. If you suspect that your child may have a hearing loss, don't hesitate to take your child to a pediatrician or ENT for further evaluation. Hearing testing can be done on even very young children. The earlier that a child can begin treatment, the less the effects will be on the child's speech, language, social and academic skills.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/index.html
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