Is Your Baby's Hearing Ok?
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Signs of Hearing Problems in Babies (EST READ TIME: 3 minutes)
Signs of Hearing Problems in Babies
Your baby’s sense of hearing is fully developed by the time he/she is born. They can hear different sounds and identify new patterns by the time he/she is 3 months old. If your kid is unaffected by loud sounds or doesn’t turn his/her head toward the direction of sound waves, you should get your child’s hearing tested immediately. If there are any hearing problems in children, they should be identified and treated early. This is because hearing loss can also lead to issues with speech development and linguistic skills in the long run.
So, how can you identify this issue in babies? Keep reading to know the hearing loss symptoms you should watch out for, and how to solve the issue.
Signs of Hearing Problems in Babies
Watch out for these signs of hearing problems in toddlers and babies to identify the issue early:
• No reaction (startled or scared) even when loud music is played
• Not reacting to sounds and not turning his/her head toward the source of the sound
• Not able to control crying with soft sounds
• Unable to recognise familiar voices
• Not making any babbling sounds and not able to utter basic vowel sounds (aa, oo, etc.), even after turning 2 months old
• Continuing to sleep even amid loud surroundings
Hearing Development in Babies
To know if there are any ear problems in a child, you should first know about how hearing develops in babies. Here are a few milestones you should be aware of:
| Age | Reaction to sounds |
| Until 3 months | • Startled reaction when listening to loud sounds • Soft sounds can soothe your baby • Cannot sleep in a noisy environment • Ability to turn head and eyes to see where the sound is coming from • Reacts when hearing familiar faces |
| 3 to 6 months | • Responds well to unfamiliar sounds as well • Shows discomfort when in loud surroundings • Understands your tone changes • Tries to mimic familiar sounds • Babbling sounds of ‘oos’ and ‘aas’ |
| 6 to 10 months | • Makes babbling sounds even when alone • Reacts to father’s/mother’s voice very well • Understands basic words like hi, bye, come, go, here, there, etc. • Gets familiarised with their names |
| 10 to 15 months | • Loves to play and responds well to hide-and-seek games • Starts giggling at his/her own voice • Starts using single words • Moves head and hand toward familiar objects • Can understand simple commands |
| 15 to 18 months | • Can point towards his/her body parts • Can understand/speak about 20 words • Able to understand simple, directional words • Can speak sentences containing 3 to 4 words |
| 18 to 24 months | • Can understand stories he/she is being read to • Can point to familiar objects/images • Learns to say/understand yes/no instructions • Starts speaking simple phrases |
| 24 to 26 months | • Responds to directions denoting actions (walk, run, jump, etc.) • Identifies different sizes and shapes • Can understand two-step instructions clearly • Sense of timing well-formed (not now, not here, after some time, etc.) |
How to Enhance Your Baby’s Hearing?
Hearing problems in children can be treated through surgical interventions, cochlear implants, speech therapies, early intervention, and hearing aids. However, here are some things you can do at home to enhance your baby’s hearing capacity:
• Encourage your child to hear when you read, speak, or sing to him/her.
• Use different tones while speaking to your baby so that he/she gets familiar with the various patterns you use.
• Continue speaking with your baby to encourage his/her communication and linguistic skills.
• Take your baby outdoors, and encourage him/her to listen to the noise. Let him/her familiarise himself/herself with the sounds of birds, rain, engine sounds of vehicles, etc.
• Give your baby a detailed explanation of these sounds so he/she can create a beautiful visual image in his/her brain for every sound your infant hears.
• As he/she listens to more sounds indoors and outdoors, your baby will develop his/her favourite sound. He/she will spend more time enjoying these sounds.
• Keep your communication patterns as unique and innovative as possible to introduce different sounds, tones, pitches, and patterns to your baby. Your child needs to hear as many sounds as possible to develop his/her speaking abilities properly.
Conclusion
You should know about the hearing milestones of your baby at different stages of his/her growth. This will help you quickly identify the signs of hearing problems in toddlers and get them treated on time. If left untreated, hearing issues can lead to speech impairment and improper development of cognitive functions in kids. The costs for treating hearing loss are quite high; however, you can save yourself from these costs if you invest in a comprehensive health insurance policy.
One of the important components of our overall wellness is also being financially secured. Healthcare emergencies can happen any time, but a good health insurance policy can protect you from such uncertain situations. To know more about Wellness and other health related tips, visit the wellness corner.
Source: acko.com, webmd.com
Disclaimer: This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this blog, website or any linked materials are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Kindly contact your doctor before starting a new medicine or health regime.
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