How a Hearing Specialist Can Help Manage Pediatric Hearing Loss

Hearing loss in children can affect their quality of life from a young age and all through adulthood. The impact usually centers around their emotional, mental, language and social development. Before an audiologist can help manage pediatric hearing loss, they must develop a clear view of the whole picture – from symptoms and medical history to potential causes. A hearing specialist provides timely intervention strategies to help children adjust and improve their day-to-day interactions.

Understanding Pediatric Hearing Loss

Pediatric hearing loss can occur at any time in a child’s life. When dealing with a congenital case – where a child is born with the condition – it can be attributed to genetic factors or prenatal infections. In some cases, complications during childbirth can lead to pediatric hearing loss. Regardless of the predisposing causes, a hearing specialist or audiologist will assess the situation to determine what can be done.

On the other hand, acquired hearing loss results from various factors after a child has been born without the condition. It could result from an ear infection, head injuries or an adverse reaction to certain medications. A more common cause of acquired hearing loss in children is due to loud noise exposure. Hearing loss ranges from mild to profound, whether congenital or acquired. No matter the categorization, it can happen in one or both ears. Additionally, the severity of pediatric hearing loss will determine the appropriate course of action in individual cases.

The Role of an Audiologist

This professional is trained to evaluate and manage issues detected with auditory function. Children are still developing and need all the help they can get to live a better quality of life. Pediatric hearing loss is often treated urgently while considering many factors. An audiologist has several functions in this regard, and the following captures the essence of their intervention.

Early Diagnosis

With the help of specialized equipment and tests, the hearing specialist evaluates the extent of the child’s hearing abilities. The procedure for detection in newborns differs from older children. The otoacoustic emission (OAE) test works better among newborns since they cannot be vocal like older children. For the latter, comprehensive hearing evaluations will be needed to diagnose the extent of hearing loss, if any.

Hearing Aid Fittings

The audiologist will work closely with you to determine an ideal hearing device. The hearing specialist will ensure that the fitted hearing aid optimizes your child’s hearing capabilities. These devices play the same role in enhancing auditory functions but vary in design, price, size and special features. In many cases, however, the BTE hearing aid is popular and ideal among children as it can grow with them.

Speech and Language Development

Pediatric hearing loss almost always influences speech and language development. If your child is experiencing any issues with their speech or language, you may be recommended to a speech-language pathologist for additional assistance. The specialist will create individualized plans for every child’s specific case, as no two children will have the same plan to improve their speech and language development. Successful speech and language therapy enhances the child’s ability to communicate better. More importantly, it helps develop a child’s self-confidence and ability to socialize better with peers and others.

Auditory Training

Auditory training focuses on a child’s adaptation to the hearing device to develop their listening skills. If you’re wondering why this is a learned skill, it’s because there’s been a period of hearing loss, and the ear and brain need to readjust to hearing sounds again. It doesn’t matter whether the period of hearing loss was short or extended. Whatever the case, the readjustment period is crucial to make the child receptive to all the external sounds in the environment.

Regular Monitoring

Your child’s appointment with the audiologist doesn’t end after the hearing aid fitting. Regular monitoring is needed to ensure that the interventions play the role they were made for. Another crucial reason for regular monitoring is to check for any improvement or otherwise of the child’s hearing loss. Medical research has shown that pediatric hearing loss evolves in growing children, making it vital to know what’s happening at every stage. Adjustments may be required sometimes to cater to the child’s changing hearing needs.

Support and Counseling

It’s easy to rule out the significance of support and counseling among children with hearing loss. Children have an increased risk of impacted confidence and self-esteem if you overlook support and therapy. These sessions offer emotional and psychological support to cope with any challenges that may be present in your child’s life.

If you’re looking to get answers about pediatric hearing loss, Heights Audiology & Hearing Aids can assist you. Call us today at (713) 234-1460 and we’ll be happy to go over any questions or concerns you might have.