Signs of hearing loss in children to detect from the age of 2-3 months

Doctor Nguyen Chi Hieu, Department of Otolaryngology (Bach Mai Hospital) said children with hearing loss A condition in which a child has a partial or complete reduction in the ability to perceive and understand the meaning of sounds.

“Hearing loss in children will lead to a reduction or loss of speech and language development. Early detection of hearing loss and application of appropriate intervention methods helps children integrate into the community and reduces the burden on families. and society”, said Dr. Hieu.

According to Dr. Hieu, children with hearing loss There are congenital causes and acquired during development.

Congenital causes of congenital hearing loss in children are: Genetics, accounting for about 50% of congenital hearing loss cases; due to inherited mutated gene causing hearing loss from parents; due to congenital malformation of the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear.

Or because the mother during pregnancy has an infection (rubella, syphilis), poisoning due to the use of certain drugs (antibiotics aminoglycosides, diuretics, treatment for malaria, …); due to risk factors: asphyxia during labor, premature birth, low birth weight.

There are other causes of hearing loss in children acquired during development, such as:infection due to acute and chronic otitis media: reduced ability to conduct sound from the environment into the inner ear due to fluid or pus in the middle ear, perforated eardrum, interruption or fixation of the ossicle chain, inflammation causes damage inner ear.

Due to meningitis: about 10% of children have some degree of hearing loss after meningitis; Due to viral inflammation: measles, chickenpox, mumps, …

Children with hearing loss may be due to intoxication: especially aminoglycoside antibiotics such as gentamycin, tobramycin; due to head and ear trauma: causing damage to the ear, auditory nerve and brain.

Or children with hearing loss due to noise: Sound with intensity above 115 dB can cause deafness or hearing loss for children even if they are only exposed once in 3 to 15 minutes.

Signs of poor hearing in children

According to Dr. Hieu, the signs to identify children with hearing loss include:

Children under 6 months old: Does not move, cry or react to loud noises; are not turn your head in the direction of the voice; are not woken up by a loud sound.

Children 6 to 12 months old: No response to the voices of loved ones; are not babble or hum; Does not understand some simple words like “hello” or “clap” at 12 months; are not have a response such as turning the head in the direction of the sound; are not reacts when his name is called.

Children 12 to 18 months old: Not turning exactly in the direction of the voice calling you; are not react to sounds; are not start by imitating and using simple words like “ba”, “grandmother”…; are not TV can be heard at normal volume.

Children 2-3 years old: Unable to follow verbal requests without visual or action suggestions; are not can repeat simple phrases; are not be able to orient where the sound is coming from; are not understand and cannot use simple words such as: go, con, big, big…

Children 4-5 years old: It’s impossible to name a few of the things they’ve done recently; are not can carry out a simple conversation. Children say sentences that are difficult to understand;

School age: Lack of concentration, or neglect, reduced academic performance; withdrawing from external communications and exhibiting strong “actions of resistance” because of poor hearing, so they are constantly misunderstood.

“If parents find that their child has one of the above symptoms, take them to a medical facility that specializes in ENT as soon as possible.

The “golden” time to intervene to help children with hearing loss be able to hear better and develop normal language is before 24 months of age”, Dr. Hieu recommended.