Little Ears

Did you know that children of any age can have their hearing tested?

Even newborns have their hearing assessed using tests soon after birth.

Hearing tests should be part of children’s regular medical examination.

Milestones for Hearing Development

0-4 months

Your child should startle to sudden or loud sounds.

3-6 months

Your child should begin to recognize familiar voices and will be starting to make their own sounds.

6-12 months

Your child should be babbling and beginning to understand common words and expressions (e.g., bye-bye).

12-18 months

Your child should begin to use words to communicate, even if they are not clear. Your child should understand simple questions (e.g., where is your nose?)

2 years

Your child’s vocabulary should be increasing and they should be saying some 2 word sentences (e.g., more juice). They should also be understanding simple directions (e.g., get your blanket)

Some signs that may suggest your child has a hearing loss:

  • Failure to startle to loud sounds
  • Lack of normal responses to sound: e.g., not responding to their own name by 6 months of age
  • Speech and language delay
  • Physical ear deformities
  • Inability to localize sounds
  • Chronic ear infections

Children with Bear

What if I suspect my child has hearing loss?

  • Have your child’s hearing assessed by one of our audiologists.
  • A medical referral is not required to be seen at our clinic.

What if my child is diagnosed with hearing loss?

  • Your audiologist will help plan the next step, which may be a referral to your doctor for a medical problem or a hearing aid trial for your child
  • Your child will be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist
  • Hearing aids and/or a personal FM system may be recommended
  • Hearing aids will be appropriately programmed based on your child’s hearing loss
  • Follow-up appointments will be scheduled regularly:
    • Every 3 months up to 3 years of age
    • Every 6-12 months over the age of 3

Kids with painted face

Toddler Hearing Aids

Our audiologists regularly collaborate with other audiologists and health care professionals in local hospitals to help provide the best care for your child’s hearing needs.

Would you like us to assess your child’s hearing?

Our audiologists assess hearing using tests that are safe, painless and easy to administer.

Please Contact us

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