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Hearing is important for communication development. Children learn to understand and to produce sounds and words through listening (for more information see our section on Preverbal Skills). Hearing is needed to access all the sounds and words in our environment. When a child has a hearing loss, they may not hear certain sounds clearly or at all, which can have a significant impact on speech and language development.
WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW!
In Ontario, hearing screenings are provided to infants to make sure their hearing is appropriate. As a caregiver, you can support your child's speech and language development by monitoring their hearing throughout their life.
Here are some things to watch for:
Delayed or unclear speech
Speech sound errors
Limited vocabulary
Inattentiveness
Lack of response to sounds
Difficulty following directions
Frequent ear infections
History of allergies
Complaints of ear pain or discomfort
Family history of hearing loss
If you notice any of these signs, it is important to have your child's hearing tested. Please contact your healthcare provider to arrange a referral for a hearing test.
Healthy Hearing Tips
How loud is too loud? Please use hearing protection on your toddler for long exposure to sounds over 70 dBs (around the noise of a vacuum).
Here are some ways you can help support listening skills and create an optimal learning environment at home:
Point out unexpected noises: When you hear an unexpected sound, such as the garbage truck, something falling, or a bird whistling, talk about that sound with your child. You might say, “Listen” and point to your ear. “The bird made a noise. Chirp Chirp.”
Think about positioning: If you are giving directions to your child across the room, consider moving your body and getting closer. No need to yell and strain your voice. In childcare and school settings, children with listening or hearing difficulties should be seated away from noisy pencil sharpeners, aquariums, or hamster wheels, and close to the educator.
Identify noisy appliances: Walk around your home. Identify loud noises in the environment. Think of ways you can reduce the nonessential noises in the house.
- Run appliances, such as the dishwasher or laundry, when your child is not in that room.
- Turn off the TV or radio if it is used as background noise.
- Take out the batteries in toys that are too loud.
Reduce noise in your home: Use carpets and rugs, put socks or felt fads on chair legs and table legs, put up wall decorations, hang curtains, and close doors and windows when it is too loud outside. All of these examples are great ways to help absorb and reduce noise in your home.
Resources:
See this Handy Handout for information about hearing loss in children.
Hearing First helps families of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. They support parents as they navigate this journey so their child can listen, talk, read, and thrive — just like kids with typical hearing. You can discover the proven path to listening and talking at hearingfirst.org
Find Your Way guide: A downloadable resource for families whose children have been recently diagnosed with hearing loss.
Hearing First's YouTube channel: Subscribe for tips and strategies to help your child with hearing loss learn to listen and talk and for inspiring stories from other families.
If you are concerned about your child's hearing, please contact your healthcare provider to arrange an appointment with an Audiologist.
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