It’s that time of year when families gather together and catch up on a year that has flown by. Often, there are new or growing little ones surrounding the table and adding to the cheer. We are thankful for the health and happiness of our growing families and look forward to seeing the newest generation develop. In moments of togetherness, it’s important to remember how the sense of hearing allows little minds to connect, learn, and stay safe.
Especially in the first five years of life, the sense of hearing is critical to brain development. If there is an issue with hearing after birth and no intervention is provided, language, learning, and social skills could be seriously impacted. Hearing loss intervention should start no later than 6 months of age.
Most newborns have their hearing tested at the hospital before they are brought home. Caregivers can also make note of their baby or toddler’s hearing health as they develop by checking off milestones on the Hearing and Communicative Development Checklist produced by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). If you think there may be an issue with your baby’s ability to hear, take them to their pediatrician right away so they can receive a physical check. The pediatrician may then refer your child to a hearing professional such as an audiologist for a hearing test.
Even if you have been told that your baby has normal hearing and your child’s communication is developing appropriately per the NIDCD checklist, it is still crucial to protect your child’s hearing from permanent damage. Unfortunately, 1 in 8 children today have hearing damage from loud noise.2 Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable and the following actions can help:
The best way to prevent hearing loss is by avoiding loud noises when possible. If you’re raising your voice to be heard over the surrounding noise, it’s likely too loud. You can download apps to check the volume of your environment, such as the NIOSH Sound Level Meter App to ensure your child is not exposed to sounds over 85 decibels (dB).
Be sure to speak with your child’s pediatrician or contact a nearby audiologist if you have any questions about your child’s hearing health and ways to prevent hearing loss. Continue making memories in the new year with happy and healthy hearing!
The Hearing Industries Association is the trusted voice on hearing health care for product innovation, public policy, patient safety and education.
