Hearing loss

Who is affected by Hearing Loss Babies
Hearing is essential for normal speech and language development in children. The internationally recommended age of identification of a hearing loss is 3 months, with intervention and rehabilitation by 6 months to have the least disruption to language development, scholastic aptitude and social interaction.
Hearing is important for learning to talk. Hearing is important for understanding and being understood. Parents, caregivers and family are most likely to be the first to notice signs of a hearing problem.
The sooner a hearing problem is found out, the sooner something can be done to help the child hear. When children can hear clearly, everything is easier for them.
For further advice and help see an audiologist or your doctor.

Hearing Check List

6 Weeks

When there is a sudden loud noise, does your baby:

- Jump or blink.
- Stir in his or her sleep.
- Stop sucking for a moment.
- Look up from sucking.

- Cry.
When you talk, does your baby:
- Seem to be aware of your voice.
- Stop sucking or crying.

3 Months
Does your baby:
- Blink or cry when there is a sudden noise.
- Stop crying or sucking when you talk.
- Wake or stir to loud sounds.
- Coo or smile when you talk.
- Turn his or her eyes towards sounds.
- Seem to like a musical toy.

6 Months
Does your baby:
- Turn toward a sound or someone speaking.
- Smile when you talk.
- Cry when there is a sudden noise.
- Stop moving when there is a new sound.
- Like music.
- Make lots of different babbling sounds.

9 Months
Does your baby:
- Respond to his or her own name.
- Look around to find new sounds, even quiet sounds.
- Understand "no" and "ta-ta".
- Listen when people talk.
- Like copying sounds.
- Use babbling that sounds like real speech.

12 Months
Does your baby:
- Point to things and people he or she knows when asked to.
- Copy or repeat simple words or sounds.
- Try to talk.
- Understand things like "come here".
- Use his or her voice to get attention.
- Say two or three words.
- Listen when people talk.

18 Months
Does your baby:
- Say sentences with two words in them, "me drink".
- Know a few parts of the body.
- Do one thing when asked, like "get your shoes".
- Ask for things by pointing and trying to say the word.
- Understand things like "give me that" and "don't touch".

If you have answered "yes" or "sometimes" to most of the above questions, your child would appear to have normal hearing development. However, if you have any concerns at all about your child's hearing, please contact us or your nearest hearing specialist for a hearing evaluation.

This information has been proudly supplied by Dilworth Audiology http://www.dilworth.co.nz/.