If you suspect your toddler has hearing loss, it may be one of these common hearing problems.
Advances in technology and medicine have given more hope for patents and healing for infants with hearing problems than ever before. Even if the child’s hearing loss is severe, doctors are now able to catch signs of hearing loss within the first six months of the infant’s life and treat it accordingly. If your child does test positive for any of the common hearing problems in toddlers below, he or she needs treatment as soon as possible.
Genetic Hearing Loss
In about half of all cases in toddler hearing loss, the cause of the hearing problem is genetic. One or both of the parents may have a recessive gene that gets passed to the child, causing what is called autosomal recessive hearing loss. A parent may also have a dominant gene that becomes one of the child’s dominant genes as well. Hearing loss deriving from that gene is called autosomal dominant hearing loss. The parent may not have hearing loss, but may show other symptoms. Similarly, a toddler may be born with genetic hearing loss due to a syndrome such as Down syndrome, Usher syndrome, Treacher Collins syndrome, and several others.
Non-genetic Hearing Loss
Other factors that are not genetic may cause a hearing problem at birth. Complications during the child’s birth could produce it, for example. Premature birth can also give the child a higher risk of developing hearing loss. Or, the baby was born with a nervous system or brain disorder. When the source of the hearing loss is in the brain, it is called an auditory processing disorder. Other common hearing problems at birth could be due to drugs the mother took, an infection or illness that the mother had, or maternal diabetes.
Hearing Loss Developed Later On
If a child develops a hearing problem sometime after birth, the reason could surprise you. An ear infection is a more common hearing problem that children experience even before the age of 3. However, other causes include head trauma, exposure to an extremely loud noise, illnesses like whooping cough, meningitis, or measles, Meniere’s disease, and exposure to secondhand smoke.
No matter how mild or severe your toddler’s hearing loss may be, take him or her to an audiologist immediately. Prolonging a diagnosis and treatment has debilitating effects on learning, socializing, language skills, and emotional health.
Trust the Experts at Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions
Need help with your hearing? Clarity Hearing can help. Clarity Audiology & Hearing Solutions is an independently owned and operated clinic that focuses on quality of care and personalized, friendly service to the surrounding areas of Ellicott City, Catonsville, Columbia. Our Doctors of Audiology are highly trained with advanced degrees and take the time to provide the personalized care and attention that you need and deserve. We provide advanced hearing aid options that personally calibrated with cutting-edge digital technology to fit your hearing loss, your unique ear anatomy, and your individual listening needs.
Come in for a walk-in appointment on Tuesdays & Fridays from 10:00 am to 11:30 am or contact us to schedule an appointment by calling 410-698-6594 or visiting our contact page. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn for more blog posts, news, and updates!