How do I recognise the signs of hearing loss in children?

Some of the more common traits and signs of hearing loss in children are as follows.

• Your child may not respond when spoken to or may seem inattentive.
• Your child may have delayed speech or poor pronunciation of words.
• Your child may suffer from frequent ear infections and nasal congestion.
• Your child may not follow instructions or answer questions inappropriately.
• Your child may have poor academic performance.
• Your child may have difficulty localising sounds.
• Your child may show behavioural changes.
• Your child may be startled by loud sounds.
• Your child may complain of ear pain, head noise or maybe pulling their ears.
• Your child may talk loudly.
• Your child may overcompensate visually.
• Your child may show evidence of poor reading skills.
• Your child may require increased volume of the audio systems, tv etc.
• Your child may struggle with social interactions and be disengaged in school.

Most children at some stage during their childhood experience temporary hearing loss due to excessive earwax build-up or Otitis Media. If you have concerns regarding your child’s hearing, Egan’s Hearing Centre offers a free earwax check for both adults and children, Monday to Friday only.

We at Egan’s hearing Centre, fully understand the importance of early detection of hearing loss and intervention if necessary.

Children are exposed to speech and different sounds from when they are born which helps their development very early on in life. When children are exposed to hearing these sounds, they learn to talk and understand. If a hearing impairment is not diagnosed and your child misses out on hearing, speech, and sounds, it can lead to difficulties in reading, speaking, educational success and social skills.

Although the ears are the main organ of hearing, brain function plays an important role in the way your child hears. Sound enters the ear canal, and travels through the middle ear space and further into the inner portion of the ear, here sound signals are transmitted to the brain via an auditory nerve where certain areas are stimulated. These signals are interpreted by the brain to give the sound its meaning all of which are imperative/ vital for your child’s overall development.

Paediatric Hearing Test’s at Egan’s Hearing.

Egan’s Hearing has been the leading specialist for children’s hearing tests for over 50 years across Munster. Our sister clinic Fernhurst Lodge on College Road Cork is highly specialised in advanced clinical diagnostic audiology for children.

We provide comprehensive diagnostic hearing assessment reports for children and adults referred to us by Doctors and ENT Surgeons.

The first step in helping a child with hearing loss is to identify the problem. Getting a free earwax check is a simple process and an appointment is not necessary, Monday to Friday only. Should your child require a full hearing assessment, Egan’s Hearing can provide you with an appointment to accurately assess your child’s hearing.