pediatric hearing loss

Pediatric Hearing Loss

Evaluation and Diagnosis for Hearing Disorders

Our team at Virginia Ear, Nose & Throat proudly offers evaluation and customized management plans for pediatric hearing loss in infants and children. According to the CDC, for every 1,000 children in the United States, 1 to 3 of them will have hearing loss. Pediatric hearing loss can come in many forms—congenital (at birth), acquired, temporary or permanent.

Newborn Hearing Screenings

The Commonwealth of Virginia mandates that infants receive a hearing screening at the time of birth, usually before leaving the hospital. There are two tests used for newborn screening: Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR). Both are safe and reliable. During an OAE, a small probe is placed into the ear. A sound will then be played, and a microphone will measure an echo that is reflected back in an infant’s ear canal. OAEs will be present or absent. For the ABR, sounds are presented into the ear and recorded using electrodes. This test measures how the hearing nerve responds to sounds and can identify degrees of hearing loss.

If the infant does not pass this screening, they will be referred to a state-accredited practice to perform additional testing, follow-up and ongoing care. Virginia Ear, Nose & Throat is an approved practice to conduct this testing and care. Our team of compassionate, expert physicians and audiologists are committed to the goals laid out by the state, including:

  • Early diagnosis and full assessment of any hearing difficulties in children

  • Immediate care for infants with hearing losses correctable by medical treatment

  • Prompt management and early use of hearing aids, if needed, in order to prevent avoidable speech and language delays in any child with a permanent hearing loss

  • Care-filled and comprehensive counseling for families of children with pediatric hearing loss including the provision of needed resources

  • Cooperative participation with other agencies providing early intervention services to children with hearing loss

Symptoms of Pediatric Hearing Loss

If your child’s pediatric hearing loss develops after a newborn hearing screening, they may exhibit some of the following signs and symptoms. In infants, this may look like:

  • Not awakening, startling, moving, crying or reacting in any way to loud noises,

  • Not turning his/her head in the direction of your voice, or

  • Not freely imitating sound

In children, pediatric hearing loss signs and symptoms include:

  • Difficulty speaking

  • Often asking for you to repeat what you said

  • Misunderstanding directions

  • Turning up the volume on their television, tablet or similar device

Left undiagnosed, hearing disorders and pediatric hearing loss in infants and children can negatively affect their speech and language development, learning and comprehension skills and overall behavior.

Types of Pediatric Hearing Loss

We understand that navigating any kind of hearing disorder with your child can be stressful and emotionally taxing. Our team is here to evaluate and diagnose your child’s hearing disorder, help you fully understand the implications of their condition and what management and treatment options are available to them.

Hearing disorders in children can either be congenital or present at birth, usually due to a genetic condition or infection during pregnancy, or acquired (developed over time). Loss of hearing can range from temporary to permanent. Types of pediatric hearing loss include:

Hearing loss can be temporary, caused by earwax or middle ear infections. Children with a temporary loss of hearing can have their hearing restored through medical treatment or minor surgery.

Unfortunately, some children have sensorineural hearing loss (sometimes called nerve deafness), which is permanent. Most of these children have some usable hearing, and children as young as three months of age can be fitted with hearing aids. Early diagnosis, early fitting of hearing or other prosthetic aids, and an early start on special education programs can help maximize a child’s existing hearing. This means your child will get a head start on speech and language development.

Abrupt loss of hearing in one or both ears is an urgent concern that requires immediate evaluation and management from our team.

When a child or adult is exposed to harmful sounds (e.g., sounds that are too loud for too long a time) sensitive structures of the inner ear can be damaged causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL is a hearing disorder characterized by a gradual, progressive loss of high-frequency hearing sensitivity over time as a result of exposure to excessive noise levels. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD):

  • 10 million Americans have already suffered irreversible hearing damage from noise
  • 30 to 50 million more are exposed to dangerous noise levels each day

Prevention of Pediatric Hearing Loss

Not all hearing disorders in children can be prevented—however, they are some steps you can take to reduce your child’s risk. Pediatric hearing loss prevention tips include:

  • Ensure your child is up to date on their immunizations, as outlined by the CDC

  • Follow CDC guidelines for a safe pregnancy

  • Have your child wear earplugs when in a loud environment, such as a concert

  • Limit the volume of televisions and music in your home

Pediatric Hearing Loss Evaluation, Diagnosis and Treatment

If you suspect your child is experiencing temporary or permanent pediatric hearing loss, contact our team at Virginia Ear, Nose & Throat Associates. Our audiologists will conduct a thorough evaluation to identify potentially treatable causes and attempt to restore lost hearing function. Facets of a hearing evaluation include reviewing medical history, audiograms (pure tone hearing test), otoacoustic emissions test (measures the function of the hair cells in the inner ear), tympanometry (measures the function of the middle ear), auditory brainstem responses (measures the connection between the inner ear and the brain), and radiographic imaging. If a CT scan is necessary, we often will use the MiniCAT scanner. The MiniCAT scanner emits much lower doses of radiation while producing quality images, making it very child-friendly.

Treatment varies based on the degree of hearing loss and its root cause. However, some common treatment options include medication, surgery, hearing aids and in some cases, cochlear implants. If our team finds evidence of a hearing disorder in your child, they will work with you to develop a customized treatment and management plan, and help to educate you so that you fully understand your child’s pediatric hearing loss condition.