Hearing problems in children

It can be very difficult to determine if a child under the age of 19 months has a problem with their hearing because very young children and babies will respond to their environment by touch more than sound. Listed below are a number of questions of signs that you should watch out for in your child and ask yourself if they apply to your child. If you answer no to any of them then it might be wise to visit your doctor or mention to your health visitor that you think there may be a problem with your child’s hearing.

From birth to 4 months of age

At this stage your baby should:

• Be startled when they hear a sudden loud noise such as a shout, hand clap or dog barking nearby?
• When asleep does your baby wake up at the sound of loud noises?
• If your baby is crying does he/she stop crying if they hear your voice while you’re still out of site, or quieten down if you play music?
• By the time your baby is around 4 months old he/she should be turning their head towards sounds they hear.

4 to 8 months of age

At this stage your baby should:

• Does your babies eyes widen at the sound of a voice or loud noise?
• Does your baby notice sounds that are outside of the peripheral vision?
• Does your baby enjoy a sound mobile, rattle or any other toy which makes noises?
• Around the age of 6 months your baby should be gurgling or babbling back to people who speak to them.
• Around the age of 6 months your baby should be making different sounds when babbling.

8 to 12 months of age

At this stage your baby should:

• Your baby should be responding to soft noises and turning their head towards them.
• Your baby should be able to respond to their own name.
• Their voice should alter in pitch when babbling.
• Your baby should be adding constants to their babbling, such as m, b, p and g.
• Your baby should respond to music by bouncing and jigging up and down.
• Your baby should understand the word no.

Of course every child develops at a different pace and the above is only a very rough guide, your child may respond earlier or a little later to any of the above but it is usually around the ages stated above. If you suspect that your child may have problems with their hearing then consult your doctor or health care visitor.