Hearing Loss in Kids

Why ear health is important

The first 3 years of life are when communication, social and learning skills develop. With healthy ears, children can:

• learn language and talking
• listen to family stories
• listen to music
• talk with family and friends
• learn at school
• feel good about themselves
• get a job later in life.

Ear disease and hearing loss

Ear disease can create hearing loss – either for a short time or for life. Hearing loss can affect things like: 

• the ability to listen, learn and talk 
• school attendance
• behaviour, perhaps causing irritability and reduced attention  
• making friends
• self-esteem. 

Recognising hearing loss

Babies and young children with healthy hearing will:

• react to loud, unexpected noises
• turn their head to follow noise
• respond to familiar voices
• be able to locate and move towards noise.

Older children with healthy hearing will:

• respond when called from behind or from another room
• be aware of signs of danger (hear cars before crossing the road, hear sirens)
• not ask people to repeat themselves or say ‘What?’ all the time
• not need to turn the TV up loud to hear it.

Even when children seem to have healthy hearing, take them to a health service for regular ear checks. This will help make sure their ears and hearing stay healthy.