Pediatrics

Discover the Signs of Hearing Loss in Children.

Kid with hearing loss getting a hearing evaluation by an audiologist

Pediatric Hearing Loss

Hearing well is essential to a child’s development. We start to develop language from the moment we are born so the earlier hearing loss is detected and treated, the better. If hearing loss is left untreated, basic language development will often be delayed, creating a host of academic, social, and professional challenges. Hearing loss is a combination of loss of volume and loss of pitch, or frequency. For example, some children may struggle to hear sounds that are high-pitched, but have no problem hearing low-pitched sounds. A child who has moderate hearing loss in the high frequencies will be unable to hear most consonant sounds correctly, but may hear a helicopter miles away with no problem. This is why it is so important to have your child’s hearing tested any time there is a speech or language delay. Hearing loss can happen any time during life – from before birth to adulthood – for a variety of reasons:

Pediatric Treatment Options

If your child is diagnosed with hearing loss, we will develop a comprehensive treatment plan. The type of hearing loss plays a significant role in a child’s treatment which is why early diagnosis is key to the treatment process. There are two types of hearing loss, conductive and sensorineural, and each has its own set of treatment options. Though the following solutions are common, they are only applicable to the type of hearing loss. Other factors such as the degree of hearing loss and lifestyle will also be considered. Deciding on the treatment plan can only be done after the child has undergone a hearing evaluation.

Hearing Aids for Children

Once a child has been diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss, they should be fit with hearing devices as soon as possible, even if they are infants, to maximize their speech and language development skills and academic success. The child’s home and academic environments are considered during the evaluation to ensure that appropriate technology is selected.

Hearing Evaluation Services (HES) realizes that in order for a hearing aid fitting to be successful for a child there needs to be a close, collaborative effort between the family, school, and audiologist. That is why we work closely with the family and the school to ensure that there is a continuum of care and that everyone is working together in the best interest of the child.

Verification

For a hearing aid fitting to be successful, the instrument must be set properly for your child’s hearing loss. HES uses verification equipment called VeriFit, which ensures that the hearing instruments are programmed appropriately with optimal volume and clarity of speech. The VeriFit system provides this information objectively, which is important when working with young children who are unable to provide feedback about how they’re hearing.

FM Systems

Frequently, children benefit most from hearing aids in conjunction with an FM system at home and/or at school. HES works closely with your child’s school district to ensure the selected hearing aid can be used with an FM system at school. In the classroom, the teacher speaks into a lapel-worn microphone and the sound is transmitted directly to the child’s hearing device(s), allowing the child to hear the teacher’s voice over the background noise.

Teacher speaking with one of her students who has hearing loss at school
Teacher working with her student with hearing loss making sure she understands the assignment at school

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), also known as an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), is a series of problems that can occur during various listening tasks. Children with CAPD may hear normally, however, they are unable to comprehend or interpret the information they hear correctly. When a CAPD is present, the individual’s ear sends sounds to the brain, but the part of the brain responsible for translating those sounds does not function properly, resulting in a jumbled message.

If left untreated, children with CAPD may have speech and language delays. They also tend to have difficulty learning, especially in loud noisy classrooms. Early diagnosis is crucial because with the right treatment, a child with CAPD can do well in school and live a completely normal life.

CAPD Evaluations

CAPD evaluations are particularly useful for children ages seven and older who have normal hearing, but difficulty listening and learning in the classroom.

HES understands that a careful and accurate diagnosis is the first step to providing a comprehensive and effective treatment program. CAPD evaluations must be interpreted in the context of a complete psycho-educational test series, including measures of the child’s cognitive, language, and reading capacity. At HES, we scrutinize your child’s test for predictable sequences of errors or patterns in their responses that indicate the type of auditory delay they are experiencing. In doing so, we can determine the specific areas your child struggles with the most to develop a treatment plan that fits their individual needs.

CARD Treatment

CAPD treatment must be individualized, intense, and effective. Designing a plan to improve symptoms of CAPD requires the collaboration of multiple specialists, parents, and teachers. The child’s school and home environments are also taken into consideration. Modifications to your child’s classroom, homework, and in-school testing requirements may be recommended. In addition, an audiologist or speech-language pathologist can provide auditory training therapies to help your child develop better listening and organizational skills.

Woman in education session about hearing loss and to manage hearing health

Educational Audiology

Hearing Evaluation Services of Buffalo has launched a new program in conjunction with the Educational Audiology Association to fulfill the mission of becoming a resource and advocate for providing hearing health services in educational settings.

The Educational Audiologist will focus on supporting students with hearing difficulties in an educational setting by evaluating the student’s hearing, listening, and auditory processing deficits that can affect their academic success, communication, and psychosocial well-being.

What an Educational Audiologists Offers

If you are interested in learning more about our Educational Audiology Program, please call us.