Children can experience hearing loss at any point—from birth through later childhood. While there can be a genetic component, most children with hearing loss are born to families that have no history of hearing problems. Let’s look at the signs and symptoms of hearing loss in children.

“Infants and toddlers with hearing loss may not react normally to sounds or startle with noise. “As these children grow, they may have difficulty following directions, fall behind with speech and have communication difficulties, and show signs of behavioral problems.”

Hearing loss in babies and children may include:

Babies:

✓ Not reacting normally to sounds
✓ Not startling with noise
✓ Trouble locating the source of sound or voices
✓ Speech delays
✓ Trouble developing correct speech sounds

Children:

✓ Difficulty following directions
✓ Speech delays or falling back in speech development
✓ Difficulties in school or sudden changes in academic performance
✓ Communication difficulties
✓ Behavioral problems
Distracted
✓ Listening to the television or radio louder than others