Audiologists everywhere recognize that children with bilateral hearing loss (in both ears) need to be fit with hearing aids in order to develop in every aspect of their lives – to learn to talk, to learn in school, and to be able to communicate with their friends and family at home, on the playground… everywhere. However, it is not always recognized that a unilateral hearing loss (hearing loss in one ear) can have a significant impact on a child’s development when treatment needs to be considered. A recent study conducted at Washington University in St. Louis showed that children with a loss in one ear performed significantly below children with normal hearing in both ears in their ability to comprehend and use spoken language.
The signs that may suggest a child has a hearing loss in one ear can be very subtle, and parents and teachers are not typically aware of this possibility. They may include trouble hearing in noisy situations, trouble hearing when more than one person is talking, and not seeming to pay attention in school. At the Center for Hearing and Communication, we strongly recommend that children who exhibit any of these signs have a complete hearing evaluation by a pediatric audiologist to rule out a hearing loss. We also firmly believe that hearing devices (both personal and for school) be considered for all children with hearing loss in one ear.
Click here for more information on our website about children and hearing loss. To learn more about the study conducted at Washington University in St. Louis, click here.
