Having a hearing test before returning to school may not be on the to-do list of items for many parents, however, since some children do not develop hearing loss until later in their childhood years, having a hearing test before heading back to school is very important.
Many children who are born with normal hearing begin to develop hearing difficulties as they reach their second or third birthday. And since hearing loss cannot be seen, it may go undetected even by parents who are usually extremely attentive to any changes in their children's health. Hearing loss that develops in later childhood is called a delayed-onset hearing loss.
Risk factors for childhood hearing loss
There are some children who are a higher risk for hearing loss than others. The following are some of the risk factors for hearing loss at birth or in early infancy:
o Low birth weight: Weighing less than 3.3 pounds at birth.
o Low Apgar score: A score of 0-4
o Infections: Of both the baby and the pregnant mother can cause hearing loss for the baby. These include:
o German measles (rubella)
o Cytomegalovirus (CMV): A virus from the same family as herpes.
o Toxoplasmosis: An infection found in people, cats, birds, and other animals. To prevent exposure, pregnant women should avoid cat litter or dirt and should not eat uncooked meat.
o Syphilis
o Group B streptococcus (GBS)
o Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)
o Genetics/family history: Up to half of all childhood hearing loss may be passed down through the family. This may be true even when no other family member has a hearing loss.
The following genetic conditions are normally associated with hearing loss:
o Down syndrome
o Usher syndrome
o Treacher Collins syndrome
o Crouson syndrome
o Alport syndrome
o Extreme jaundice: Baby's skin looks yellow; baby needs a blood transfusion
o Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU): Conditions needing close medical attention
o Head, face and ear anomalies: The appearance of the baby's head, face or ears are not what was expected
o ECMO: A special blood exchange
Risk factors for delayed-onset hearing loss
o Infections: bacterial and viral meningitis, mumps, chicken pox, encephalitis and influenza.
o Ear infections: Chronic ear infections can lead to a permanent hearing loss.
o Medicine: The following medicines if used in high doses can sometimes cause hearing loss -- Gentamicin, an antibiotic; and Cisplatin, a drug that fights cancer.
o Noise: Loud noises may cause a permanent hearing loss.
o Head trauma: A severe head injury needing medical attention may cause hearing loss.
Some other, more common, causes of hearing loss are excessive or impacted wax, and glue ear (mucus blocking the ear). Both these conditions are easily treatable by a medical professional. Parents should not use Q-tips or bobby pins to remove earwax from the child's ear.
What to do
Delayed-onset hearing loss can significantly affect your child's ability to hear and understand conversational speech, thus impacting how well he/she will succeed in his/her educational environment. Studies show that at least 15 percent of school aged-children between ages six and 19, suffer from some form of hearing loss. Hearing loss, even a very mild one, often results in speech language delays, educational setbacks, academic delays, and social and emotional deficits. If left untreated, these problems often follow the child into adulthood creating additional problems in college, in the work environment, and in relationships. On the other hand, research has shown that children with hearing loss who are identified early in childhood and who receive appropriate treatment, succeed in their educational environment and develop strong academic, social, and emotional skills.
Early detection and treatment of hearing loss is key. Even if your child has had a hearing test in the past and showed no signs of hearing loss, it is still important that periodic hearing screens be given throughout the school years to ensure no delayed-onset hearing loss has developed.
If your child has not had a recent hearing test, is in one of the high-risk categories for hearing loss, or is having difficulties hearing, you should contact an audiologist.
o For further information on any hearing-related disorder, please contact Dr. Deborah Nubirth, doctor of audiology, in New Providence at Comprehensive Family Medical Clinic, Poinciana Drive at 356-2276 or 677-6627 or 351-7902 in Grand Bahama; or email dnubirth@yahoo.com.
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