hear loss – Southern Nevada Audiology Las Vegas

Hearing Loss Issues in Children

11/18/22

The majority of patients we see at Southern Nevada Audiology are primarily adults. However, we promote awareness of signs of hearing loss at any age. Hearing loss is not only limited to the elderly but can develop at any stage of life. For the development and growth of a child, treatment for hearing loss is crucial at an early stage.

The Rate of Childhood Hearing Loss

Hearing loss affects one to three per thousand children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The question then becomes, “What exactly triggers this hearing loss in children?“

Many different factors contribute to hearing loss in children. Congenital hearing impairment affects a small percentage of newborns. Congenital hearing loss may be genetic, prenatal infections or can result from hazardous substances during pregnancy. When it comes to children, hearing loss often results from an ear infection.

The Consequences of Ignoring Childhood Hearing Loss

A child’s life is significantly altered by permanent hearing loss. A child’s first few years of life are key to their development. An important part of growing up is being able to hear sounds. Hearing loss may be detrimental to language learning because it hinders the development of listening and talking skills, both of which are vital to acquiring language.

When a child struggles with language and verbal abilities, it may have a ripple effect on the their emotional, social, and intellectual development. Delays in development affect even children with modest hearing loss or single-sided hearing loss. Their poor listening skills cause them to fall behind the rest of their class.

Deafness and other Hearing Problems Caused by Ear Infections

Ear irritation accompanied by a potentially fatal accumulation of fluid is known medically as Otitis Media. Ear infections are common in children because their Eustachian tubes, which carry sound from the ear to the back of the nose, are still growing and are relatively narrow.

Most children are unable to control or drain fluid when they have a cold or runny nose. Fluid accumulation caused by this obstruction might trigger inflammation. Seventy-five percent of children will have had Otitis Media at least once by the time they turn three, according to recent studies.

Hearing loss is a variable symptom for many of these kids because of the illness. In mild cases, the fluid is thin and translucent and is not often associated with hearing loss. On the other hand, lifelong hearing loss is a real possibility if the fluid is dark in color.

There are a handful of telltale indicators of fluid in the ear that you can check for if you believe your kid has an ear infection, even if your child is not experiencing any pain. Your child may get irritated, resulting in ear-pulling or ear-pinch behavior. It is possible that they are experiencing hearing loss, as shown by behaviors like failing to answer when called for, being unusually jumpy or distracted, or misinterpreting what was said.

Please schedule your hearing assessment / checkup with Southern Nevada Audiology today! Learn more about the advancements in modern hearing aids.

Importance of Addressing Hearing Loss

10/20/22

Despite the fact that approximately 48 million Americans have some form of hearing loss, few tend to address the issue in a timely manner. Seven years pass on average between the first sign of hearing loss and the time taken to schedule a hearing exam. This is quite unfortunate because the benefits of addressing hearing loss signs when it first presents itself far outweighs the conditions of living with untreated hearing loss. Conditions such as depression, social alienation, self-induced bodily harm, memory problems, and even an elevated risk of cognitive decline and dementia are all possible effects of even minor hearing loss because of the changes in lifestyle and physiology that it instills.

Receiving treatment for hearing loss as soon as it presents itself not only reduces the likelihood of complications, but also eases the process of adjusting to living with the impairment. Those who put off dealing with their hearing loss until it is “very severe” often find that they have made irreversible changes to their daily routines and relationships with others. Life can continue on normally if hearing loss is addressed as soon as it is noticed.

Someone Else Informs Us About Our Hearing Impairment

To some, it may sound unusual, but our significant others, close relatives, or trusted friends are often the ones that first bring our hearing loss to our attention. Hearing loss is typically not seen as a distortion of sound so much as an absence of the sound. In most cases, it takes the help of another person to help us identify noises that we are missing because we just cannot hear them ourselves.

Fatigue

An environment with a lot of background noise, such as a party, is often the first place we detect a hearing impairment. When our hearing is impaired, it becomes more difficult to distinguish between speech and background noise, making it mentally taxing to keep up with a discussion. Many with hearing loss for the first time may mistake their early social weariness for a result of their advanced age, saying things like, “I just can’t stay out as late as I used to.” In reality, with the help of modern hearing aid technology, we can rejoice in social gatherings just as much as before.

The Phone Is Excessively Quiet

Sometimes, even those with normal hearing will have problems hearing a call, but if this is a recurring issue for us, even in a quiet environment, it may be a clue that we have hearing loss. Similarly, if we find ourselves cranking up the level on the radio or television all the time, or if others complain that the volume is too high, it may be time to get our hearing checked.

Are They Mumbling?

It is easy to assume that people are speaking too softly or with their lips closed if we are having trouble hearing them. It is possible that consonant sounds will not be present or may be difficult to make out. The need to repeatedly remind others to “speak up” is a sign of possible hearing loss.

Hearing Tests Reveal Whether We Suffer from Deafness.

The best solution is also the most obvious one. If we want an objective answer to the question of whether or not we have hearing loss, and if so, to what degree, we need to undergo a professional hearing evaluation. It is also worth noting that while internet hearing tests might serve as a general guide, they are often quite unreliable.

Please schedule your hearing assessment / checkup with Southern Nevada Audiology today! Learn more about the advancements in modern hearing aids.