If Your Child is Struggling in School, Hearing Loss May Be to Blame

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hearing loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!

We have a tendency to think that hearing loss only affect the elderly. While it's true that people over the age of 60 do have a higher rate of hearing loss, other age groups are far from immune, including children. In fact, according to some estimates nearly 15% of children in the United States alone suffer from a noticeable amount of hearing loss. Even though hearing loss is unfortunate at any age, in children it can be especially troubling, as it can result in slower development of cognitive and social skills, impacting their ability to perform well in school.

Warning Signs

When it comes to childhood hearing loss, there are some common warning signs that teachers and parents should be on the lookout for. Some of the signs you might expect are difficulty paying attention in class, asking questions more than once, speech problems, and an inability to follow directions. There are, however, some warning signs that you may not immediately associate with hearing loss. These include acting out, trouble remembering key concepts, poor coordination, not paying attention in class and even aggressive behavior.

Impacting Learning

Obviously, any of the above problems could negatively impact a child's ability to learn, but numerous studies have shown that children with hearing loss quickly fall behind their peers. Children under the age of ten learn a lot by listening to adults, absorbing information and mimicking behavior. When a child has difficulty hearing, it can be detrimental to their vocabulary development, reading and math skills, and social growth. Often, these problems are misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD, but the true problem is hearing loss.

What Can You Do

If you suspect that your child may be suffering from hearing loss, the first step is to get him or her tested by a trained audiologist. Based on the results the test, the audiologist might recommend assistive devices, such as hearing aids, to compensate for hearing loss. The good news in all of this is that studies show that children who receive early intervention typically develop at the same rate as their peers. So even if your child gets a diagnosis of hearing loss, it doesn't mean that he or she will be held back scholastically.

Everyone wants their child to succeed. If your son or daughter is having difficulty in school, then hearing loss may be to blame. Don't wait to have your child's hearing tested and begin corrective intervention as soon as possible.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hearing loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!