Every day we are surrounded by noises, and some may have the potential to cause hearing loss. Any loss of hearing at an early age can have a lifelong impact on learning, social relationships, and job opportunities.
Healthy Hearing Tips
- Pay attention to see if your child is hearing properly. Shake objects or keys on either side of them or call your child’s name to see if they turn to the sound.
- Teach your child not to put anything in his/her ears. Poking around (even with a q-tip) can hurt the eardrum and cause serious damage.
- After swimming, make sure that there is no water left in the ear canal. If your child says that it sounds funny or that they hear water in their ear, lay them on their side so that it can trickle out. Water that remains in the ear can cause infection.
- Make sure your child does not have the volume on high when listening to headphones. Loud music can cause both temporary and permanent hearing loss.
- Take your child to the doctor when they have an earache. Take this seriously as frequent ear infections can cause long-term hearing loss.
- Try to prevent ear infections. Keep your child away from people who smoke and people who are sick or have a cold.
- If you suspect your child is having trouble with their hearing, make an appointment with an audiologist. Early detection can prevent problems with speech, language and learning.