Hearing Protection for Kids: Starting Early for Lifelong Benefits

If you have kids, you are likely concerned about their hearing health. Through hearing, they can develop their language skills while learning to read and write. Moreover, they can better socialize with their peers and build meaningful friendships when they can hear and communicate better. However, this is usually not the case for most kids; 15% of them usually have hearing loss. Various types of hearing disorders continue to affect individuals within this age group. By instilling the habit of consistently safeguarding their ears, you’re offering your children a significant advantage. This article will highlight helpful ways to do so.

How Can You Prevent Your Child from Developing Hearing Loss?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), many cases of hearing loss in children are due to preventable causes. This means you can encourage your children to put more effort into caring for their ears in the following ways:

• Wearing ear protection in noisy environments: If you’re taking them to their favorite concert and sporting event or mowing your lawn, always ensure your kids have their earplugs or earmuffs on. Also, always put the TV at a reasonable volume. Visiting the audiologist would be in order if your kids can’t hear this sound properly.
• Pay close attention to their earphone use: Kids tend to blast music at the highest volume. So, you are responsible for monitoring this, so they don’t damage their ears.
• Be particular about their toys: Always choose toys with volume controls, as loud sounds from some products can cause symptoms of hearing loss.
• Take them for regular screening: Your audiologist is your good partner regarding your kids’ hearing health. They can diagnose any issue that causes temporary and permanent hearing loss and offer the best solutions.
• Be a good role model: Your kids look up to you, so use this to your advantage by wearing ear protection when necessary and keeping away from noise.

What Causes Children to Develop Hearing Loss?

There is no one generic cause of hearing loss in kids. This means you must visit an audiologist if you suspect your child has symptoms of hearing loss. This way, you can understand what caused your child to lose hearing and the find most suitable treatment. That said, temporary hearing loss can be triggered by:

• An abnormal buildup of mucus in the eustachian tube due to cold.
• Infection of the middle ear.
• Excess buildup of wax in the ear canal.
• A foreign item lodged in the ear canal.

Fortunately, your child’s auditory capabilities will return once these issues are solved. However, your kid may have permanent hearing loss, which can be caused by:

Genetic disorders.

• Skull fractures and concussions.
• Stereos, music festivals, firecrackers and other loud noises.
• Hereditary conditions that slow down the development of the ear.

Permanent hearing loss cannot be reversed, but consulting an audiologist can aid in identifying hearing aids and other assistive devices that can enhance your child’s sound perception. Talk with an audiologist today about the best solutions if your child is experiencing hearing loss.