Children are affected by hearing disorders just as much as adults do. There are many reasons. In the case of toddlers and children between the ages of 4 to 10, the most common reason behind hearing disorders includes over-exposure to loud sounds. The sources could be:

1. Musical toys.
2. Listening to music on earphones.
3. Listening to loud music all the time.

At times, certain medications can also cause hearing problems in children. As a responsible parent of young children who cannot explain what they’re going through, it’s awareness on your part that can help your children.

Taking the children for bi-yearly or yearly hearing screenings is a necessity nowadays. A specific children’s hearing test is conducted depending upon the age of the child. This pediatric evaluation is done on children between the ages of 0 months to 12 years. Obviously, the types of screening tests differ.

Let’s find out more details.

1. Neonatal Screening: The test is carried out on newborns up to the age of 8 months.
2. Pediatric Screening: It’s designed for children between the ages of 9 months to 4 years.
3. Adult Assessment: It’s designed for patients above the age of 4 years.

The different hearing problems that affect kids are listed below.

1. Infants can suffer from recurring ear infections. Painless tests are conducted to identify whether ear infections are bothering the baby. Even if the baby shows no sign of discomfort early on, it’s better to take your precious one for a screening session.
2. Toddlers are largely affected by the temporary hearing loss that’s caused due to buildup of earwax. Sometimes, ear infections are also responsible. Audiometric booths are designed to conduct certain tests on children to confirm that there’s a problem.
3. For teenagers, it’s mostly loud music they play on their headphones that cause ear problems such as tinnitus and hyperacusis.

The fortunate news is that all hearing disorders listed above can be treated. In all honesty, tinnitus cannot be cured, but it can be treated so effectively that patients suffering from tinnitus will no longer be bothered by the ringing noise.

That being said, next comes the tricky part: choosing the right clinic and the right doctors. Since you’re giving your children in the hands of audiologists here, it’s always a good idea to do a bit of research and then choose a screening center.

1. Check the ratings and reviews on Google.
2. Check the testimonials.
3. Schedule an appointment and talk to the physician first.

There’s no harm in being careful. If you’re based in Montreal, Audiology Centre-West is one of the best audiology clinics for kids and adults, alike.