Aimee Alderman-Oler, MA
When Gabrielle spoke, her words were fuzzy, sounding as if she were in a tunnel. When she first heard language, she had an ear infection and language sounded muffled to her. Gabrielle imitated language as she heard it, so it came out fuzzy and difficult to understand.
In order to understand how this might happen, hold both of your hands over your ears and say something out loud. This is a simulation of what it might sound like during an episode of ear infection. Sounds are softer and hearing levels may be inconsistent. It may sound as if you are under water or in a tunnel.
Hearing loss in children can have huge and long-lasting ramifications. A child's ability to hear affects several domains of development. Language development might be delayed because children are hearing less language and hearing it with less accuracy. Social development can be affected because children are less able to grasp and imitate the give and take of conversation and interaction. Emotional development and bonding may be reduced by an impeded ability to respond and react to social cues. Unaware caregivers may feel ignored and rejected. Behavior can become an issue because when children do not hear directions, they certainly cannot follow them. Cognitive development may be delayed because hearing is an important part of intellectual stimulation. Even future school performance can be affected.
According to doctors Michael Cunningham and Edward O. Cos, "hearing loss in infants and children has been linked to life-long deficits in speech and language acquisition, poor academic performance, personal-social maladjustments, and emotional difficulties."
Children often sustain a partial and temporary hearing loss during an ear infection. It is important to check your child's hearing often during the winter months when ear infections are most rampant. It is possible for children, during a hearing loss, to hear some pitches and not others so it is important to check a range of pitches.
To check your child's hearing, gather a squeak toy, a rattle, and a bell. If you do not have a rattle handy, drop some rice or dried beans in a jar. If you do not have a bell handy, try some paperclips in a metal can.
Stand approximately 12 inches behind your child and activate the noise. Be sure she cannot see the noisemaker so you can be certain she actually hears the sound and not just sees what is making it. Test both ears with all three pitches. This can be done daily throughout the winter, especially if cold symptoms are present.
An easy setting for hearing tests is at mealtime when a child is in a high chair. Another is when a child is on one parent's lap and another caregiver stands behind her. Choose a moment when the child's attention is distracted away from the tester to be certain the child responds to the sound and not the person.
If you suspect a hearing loss, consult your pediatrician. Doctors are able to use sophisticated equipment to further assess and then diagnose hearing issues. According to The Hearing and Speech Center of Florida, some reasons to see your pediatrician immediately regarding your child's hearing include:
1. Not talking by age two
2. A stop in talking or other means of meaningful communication
3. Turning the volume higher and higher progressively
In the meantime, make every effort towards clear communication with your child. It is most important to make eye contact. Touch her on the shoulder if she is does not look at you. Make eye contact, annunciate clearly, exaggerate your mouth movements, and talk loudly. We want the kids to create an accurate map of the sounds that make up our powerful tool called language even when they are not hearing it very clearly.
Check your child's hearing regularly, especially in the winter, and keep his development on track!
After receiving her master's degree in business and working in that field for some time, Aimee felt a strong calling to education. Now, as a certified parenting educator in the Parents As Teachers program, she been employed for 10 years by the Center School District in Kansas City, MO. In this capacity, she delivers home based services and school based presentations. She coaches parents as they develop and hone the skills they use as their child's first and most important teacher. She also continues to partner with her husband, Terry Oler, as the first and most important teacher of their three teenaged children.
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