Resources on Early Learning
Tip Sheets
Do You Hear What I Hear?
What are the signs of normal hearing development?
- By 3 months, an infant responds to a parent's voice by becoming more alert. A 6-month-old turns toward a sound.
- At 12 months, a baby begins to imitate sounds and may say a few words, such as "mama" or "bye."
- Around 2 years, a toddler understands action words, such as "run," and can follow simple spoken directions.
Ask your health care provider for a hearing checklist or obtain free information by calling the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association at 1-800-638-8255.
What are some common signs of hearing loss?
- A child with hearing loss may seem inattentive or resistant.
- He may misunderstand words or seem to hear some sounds but not others.
- She may turn a television or radio at a louder level than family or friends prefer.
- She may not seem to remember well or may not speak clearly.
What should I do if I suspect a child has hearing loss? Ask the nurse consultant available through your child care program or your child's health care provider if screening by a trained professional might be needed.
How important is treatment? Early treatment can make a lifelong difference. Research shows that children born with hearing loss usually can begin school with normal language and learning skills if appropriate care is begun by 6 months of age. Treatment can include finding the underlying cause; making environmental changes; and providing training, exercises, hearing aids, or surgery. Treat any hearing loss quickly to avoid hearing-related learning and social problems.
For references and Web sites related to hearing, see the following resources:
- Look Who's Listening to You!
http://www.parentsasteachers.org/site/pp.asp?c=ekIRLcMZJxE&b=272135 - Human Body Series: Hearing
http://kidshealth.org/classroom/prekto2/body/functions/hearing.pdf - Universal Newborn Hearing Screening in Illinois
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=30522 - Illinois Frequency of Hearing Screening
http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/077006750B01100R.html - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/silence.asp - American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org/ - Hearing Loss in Children
http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZ6MCZIGDC - What to Do If Your Baby's Screening Reveals a Possible Hearing Problem
http://www.medem.com/medlib/article/ZZZGTJSCGTC - Silence Isn't Always Golden: Infants and Young Children with Hearing Problems Can Have Difficulty Developing Speech and Language
http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/silence.asp - Hearing Evaluation in Children
http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/hear.html - How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart.htm






