Worried about your child’s grades but can’t seem to find the cause? While it’s common to first look at their schoolwork and study habits, you should also consider your child’s hearing.
Children don’t always know when they’re having trouble hearing, especially when changes are mild or only happen in one ear. Little by little, they may miss out more on conversations and classroom instructions.
Hearing loss is much more common than you’d think. In Canada, one in 13 children experience some level of hearing loss. Becoming aware of the signs helps you recognize when a child may be experiencing hearing loss and determine what to do next.
How Hearing Loss Can Affect Learning
Hearing loss isn’t always easy to spot, especially in the classroom. However, teachers may be among the first to notice a concern. For instance, hearing difficulties can sometimes appear as inattentiveness. If they raise a concern, consider having your child’s hearing tested to find out if it could be part of the issue.
Hearing loss can affect your child’s learning in several ways:
- Following the teacher: Your child could miss parts of instruction when the teacher faces away or speaks from across the room.
- Hearing in background noise: Other students talking, having to move around, and classroom noise all make it harder for your child to hear what the teacher is saying.
- Language and literacy: Hearing speech is closely tied to developing their language and reading skills, so having difficulty hearing affects these key areas of learning.
- Attention and participation: When a child keeps missing parts of a discussion, they often become more distracted and less willing to join in.
- Listening exhaustion: Constantly having to try to hear throughout the school day leads to fatigue in children, which leaves them with less energy to engage.
Effects of hearing loss also go beyond learning, affecting their social and emotional development and making interacting with friends and family more difficult.
Signs Your Child May Be Having Trouble Hearing
There are also some clues you may notice at home, too. Pay attention to these patterns in how they communicate and respond:
- Frequently asking for instructions to be repeated
- Saying “what” often
- Finds it hard to follow verbal instructions
- Sitting very close to the TV to hear better
- Speaking louder than expected
- Struggling to follow instructions in groups
- Appearing distracted in groups or discussions
It’s easy to brush these patterns off, especially if they only happen occasionally. But if you notice these happening regularly, they may be worth paying attention to.
What to Expect From a Child’s Hearing Test
Hearing tests for children are adjusted based on their age and developmental stage, and many of them even find the tests enjoyable.
If you have a young child, they’ll take part in listening games, while older children may listen for beeps or repeat words to show what they can hear. Additional tests check for fluid behind the eardrum or how well the hearing organ is working.
After the test, the audiologist will clearly explain the results and discuss any recommendations with you. Some children may require specialized testing or equipment. The goal is to find out how well your child hears and whether anything may be affecting their ability to communicate and take part in daily activities.
Rest assured, hearing tests are made with your child in mind, so they’ll feel comfortable throughout the process.
Help Your Child Hear and Learn With Confidence
Struggles at school can have many causes, and hearing difficulties may be one of them. You don’t have to wait for the problem to become more obvious before having your child’s hearing checked.
The Hearing Loss Clinic has provided hearing care for children and adults since 1993. With 10 locations across Southern Alberta and the East Kootenays, families can access professional hearing tests and specialized audiology services for children close to home.
The sooner you recognize a potential hearing issue, the sooner you can take steps to address it. Contact The Hearing Loss Clinic to book your child’s hearing test.