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If you think your child has a hearing loss, you might be right. The
following checklist will assist in determining whether or not your child might
have a hearing loss. Please read each item carefully and check only those factors that
apply to you, your family or your child.
INDICATORS FOR HEARING LOSS - CHECK
EACH ITEM THAT APPLIES:
During Pregnancy:
___ Mother had German measles, a viral infection or flu.
___ Mother drank alcoholic beverages.
My Newborn (Birth to 28 Days of Age):
___ Weighed less than 3.5 pounds at birth.
___ Has an unusual appearance of the face or ears
___ Was jaundiced (yellow skin) at birth and had an exchange blood
transfusion.
___ Was in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for more than five days
___ Received an antibiotic medication given through a needle in a vein
___ Had meningitis
My Family
___ Has one or more individuals with permanent of progressive hearing loss
that was present or developed early in life.
My Infant (29 Days to Age Two Years)
___ Received an antibiotic medication given through a needle in a vein
___ Had meningitis
___ Has a neurological disorder
___ Had a serious injury with a fracture of the skull with or without
bleeding from the ear.
___ Has recurring ear infections with fluid in ears for more than three
months.
Response To The Environment
Newborn (Birth to 6 Months)
___ Does not startle, move, cry, or react in any way to unexpected loud
noises
___ Does not awaken to loud noises
___ Does not freely imitate sound
___ Cannot be soothed by voice alone.
___ Does not turn his/her head in the direction of my voice
Young Infant (6 through 12 months)
___ Does not point to familiar persons or objects when asked
___ Does not babble or babbling has stopped
___ By 12 months is not understanding simple phrases such as "wave by-bye",
"clap hands" by listening alone
My Infant (13 months through Two Years)
___ Does not accurately turn in the direction of a soft voice on the first
call.
___ Is not alert to environmental sounds
___ Does not respond to sound or does not locate where sound is coming from.
___ Does not begin to imitate and use simple words for familiar people and
things around the home
___ Does not sound like or use speech like other children of similar age
___ Does not listen to TV at a normal volume
___ Does not show consistent growth in the understanding and the use of
words to communicate.
What You Should Do
If you have checked one or more of these indicators, your child may have
more than and average chance of a hearing loss.
If your child has one or more of these indicators you should take him or
her for an ear examination and a hearing test. This can be done at any age, as early as
just after birth.
If you did not check any of these factors but you suspect that your
child is not hearing normal, even if your child's doctor is not concerned, have your child's
hearing tested by an audiologist and when appropriate, his or her speech evaluated by a
speech and language pathologist. If no hearing loss exists, the test will not have hurt him
or her. However, if your child does have a hearing loss, delayed diagnosis could affect
speech and language development.
This leaflet is provided as a public service to parents who are
concerned that their child might have a hearing loss. It is not a substitute for an ear examination
or a hearing test. Hearing loss can exist in children even though none of these checklist
items are present.
Three million American children under the age of 18 years have varying
degrees of hearing loss. You, the parents and grandparents, are usually the first
to discover hearing loss in your babies, because you spend the most time with them.
If, at any time, you suspect your baby has a hearing loss, discuss it with your
doctor.
Your baby's hearing can be professionally tested at any age.
Computerized hearing tests make it possible to screen newborns. Some babies have more than an
average chance of having hearing loss than others. If you checked any
items on this list, your child should have a hearing test as soon as possible.
All children should have their hearing tested before they start school.
This could reveal mild hearing losses that the parent or child cannot detect. Loss
or hearing in one ear may also be determined in this way. Such a loss, although not
obvious, may affect speech and language.
Hearing loss can even result from earwax or fluid in the ears. Many
children with this type of temporary hearing loss can have their hearing restored
through medical treatment or minor surgery.
In contrast to temporary hearing loss, some children have nerve
deafness, which is permanent. Most of these children have some usable hearing. Few are
totally deaf. Early diagnosis, early fitting of hearing aids, and an early start on
special educational programs can help maximize the child's existing hearing.
Use this simple list to answer the question "Is My Baby's Hearing
Normal?"
©1995. American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,
Inc., One Prince Street, Alexandria VA 22314-3357
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