4 Signs Your Child Needs a Hearing Test

When you’re an adult, it can be tricky enough to spot the early signs of hearing loss, but you can generally pinpoint that something is not quite right and get the help you need eventually, however when you are a child or the parent of one, it can be much more difficult to spot the signs and make a swift appointment with a good audiologist.

For this reason, it’s very important that parents should be attentive to the early potential warning signs that their children may be experiencing or developing hearing loss.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of four of the most common signs that your child needs a hearing test. If you notice any of these signs in your child, it’s important you make an appointment with an audiologist as soon as possible.

1. Your Child Tells You They Cannot Hear

If your child is regularly saying that they can’t hear what you are saying, or if they need to turn up the TV or whatever they are listening to, to a higher level than normal or higher than you would expect to be necessary, it’s a pretty good sign that they could be experiencing hearing loss. However, many parents shrug it off as their kid not paying enough attention or trying to push their buttons, which is why so many of them end up going to the audiologist way later than they should have. Make sure this doesn’t happen to your child, and if they complain about their hearing levels, book them in for a hearing test.

2. Their Schoolwork Declines

When children are experiencing hearing loss, they can often find it difficult to concentrate in class, which means their grades could start to experience this as a result of their teacher may talk to you about them not paying attention or behaving badly.

Of course, it could be that they are simply struggling with their schoolwork or experiencing other medical or behavioral issues, but it’s a good idea to get their hearing checked out by a qualified audiologist all the same just to be sure. Many children experiencing hearing loss do not understand what is happening or are too shy to talk about it, which means their issues don’t get picked up quickly enough and that is a crying shame. So, if you’ve noticed a drop-off in grades or your child’s teacher has been in touch, book a hearing test today. 

3. They Seem to Be Concentrating Very Hard

If, when talking to your child, you have noticed that they seem to be intensely concentrating on you, and this is not particularly normal for them, it could indicate that they are experiencing hearing loss and doing their best to compensate for it. They may not even realize that’s what is happening, which is why you need to take the burden off their shoulders and schedule a hearing test with your audiologist as soon as possible.

4. They Are Loud and Angry

Children who are experiencing hearing loss often feel very frustrated with the situation, which means they can start to act out and get really angry or irritated with the people around them. They may also shout or speak more loudly simply because they aren’t able to register how loud their voice is.

Often, these children are labeled as being naughty and punished or ignored, when really a hearing test is what they need. Of course, it could be possible that your child is just acting out for whatever reason, but if you’ve noticed them being louder and more irritable in combination with any of the other signs above, a hearing test could be a good move.

If you notice one or more of these signs in your child, then it would be a very good idea to book them a hearing test with an experienced audiologist as soon as possible. Although there are potentially other explanations for each sign, hearing loss and other hearing health issues are definitely high on the list, especially if you’ve noticed several of these signs in your child in recent days, weeks or months. Hearing tests are quick, painless and will help your child to improve their quality of life, so there is nothing to worry about at all.

Get in touch with Gavin Audiology and Hearing Aids

Spotted these talk-tale signs of hearing loss in your child? Call Gavin Audiology and Hearing Aids at (914) 610-3440 to book a hearing test with an excellent audiologist who can help your child today.