My Child’s Hearing

When a parent comes to a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) due to concerns with their child’s speaking skills, a common question an SLP will ask is, ‘When was your child’s hearing last checked?’. The common answer is, ‘At birth and they were fine. They can hear me now, I don’t have concerns with my child’s hearing.’

However, sometimes children can have unrecognized hearing challenges that are impacting their ability to learn speech sounds and words. A buildup of wax, or fluid in the middle ear can each cause what is called, ‘conductive hearing loss’. Ear infections is a common cause of conductive hearing loss (scientific name for ear infection is ‘otitis media’). 

Anyone can experience an ear infection, however children tend to get them more frequently than adults. It is estimated that approximately 5 out of 6 children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday.

It may appear that your child is understanding you because they follow your directions, but it may also be the case that your child is not picking up on the difference between subtle sounds such as the ‘s’ and ‘f’ sounds due to fluid buildup in their ears.

The good news is that hearing impairment is treatable. An Audiologist can help assess your child’s specific needs and determine the next steps. If you are curious about your child’s speech, language, and hearing skills, book an appointment with a Speech-Language Pathologist or an Audiologist today. 

For more ways to support your toddler’s speech and language development, join the ultimate blueprint to Help Your Toddler Talk.