<p id="page-title" style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Content</span></span></strong></p>

<section id="block-system-main">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">What is Hearing Loss?</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Signs and Symptoms</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Screening and Diagnosis</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Treatments and Intervention Services</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Early Intervention and Special Education</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Technology</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Medical and Surgical</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Causes and Risk Factors</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Prevention</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Get Help!</span></span></em></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Hearing loss can affect a child&rsquo;s ability to develop communication, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential. If you are a parent and you suspect your child has hearing loss, trust your instincts and speak with your child&rsquo;s doctor. Don&rsquo;t wait!</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="1" name="1">What is Hearing Loss?</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">A hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear is not working in the usual way. This includes the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, hearing (acoustic) nerve, and&nbsp;auditory system.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="2" name="2">Signs and Symptoms</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">The signs and symptoms of hearing loss are different for each child. If you think that your child might have hearing loss, ask the child&rsquo;s doctor for a hearing screening as soon as possible. Don&rsquo;t wait!</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Even if a child has passed a hearing screening before, it is important to look out for the following signs.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Signs in Babies</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Does not startle at loud noises.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Does not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Does not say single words, such as &ldquo;dada&rdquo; or &ldquo;mama&rdquo; by 1 year of age.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Turns head when he or she sees you but not if you only call out his or her name. This sometimes is mistaken for not paying attention or just ignoring, but could be the result of a partial or complete hearing loss.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Seems to hear some sounds but not others.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Signs in Children</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Speech is delayed.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Speech is not clear.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Does not follow directions. This sometimes is mistaken for not paying attention or just ignoring, but could be the result of a partial or complete hearing loss.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Often says, &ldquo;Huh?&rdquo;</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Turns the TV volume up too high.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Babies and children should reach milestones in how they play, learn, communicate and act. A delay in any of these milestones could be a sign of hearing loss or other developmental problem.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="3" name="3">Screening and Diagnosis</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing Screening</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing screening is a test to tell if people might have hearing loss. Hearing screening is easy and not painful. In fact, babies are often asleep while being screened. It takes a very short time &mdash; usually only a few minutes.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Babies</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All babies should be screened for hearing loss no later than&nbsp;<strong>1 month of age</strong>. It is best if they are screened before leaving the hospital after birth.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If a baby does not pass a hearing screening, it&#39;s very important to get a full hearing test as soon as possible, but no later than&nbsp;<strong>3 months of age</strong>.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Older Babies and Children</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you think a child might have hearing loss, ask the doctor for a hearing screening as soon as possible.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Children who are at risk for acquired, progressive, or delayed-onset hearing loss should have at least one hearing test by 2 to 2 1/2 years of age. Hearing loss that gets worse over time is known as acquired or progressive hearing loss. Hearing loss that develops after the baby is born is called delayed-onset hearing loss.&nbsp;Find out if a child may be at risk for hearing loss.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If a child does not pass a hearing screening, it&#39;s very important to get a full hearing test as soon as possible.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Full Hearing Test</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">All children who do not pass a hearing screening should have a full hearing test. This test is also called an audiology evaluation. An&nbsp;audiologist, who is an expert trained to test hearing, will do the full hearing test. In addition, the audiologist will also ask questions about birth history, ear infection and hearing loss in the family.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many kinds of tests an audiologist can do to find out if a person has a hearing loss, how much of a hearing loss there is, and what type it is. The hearing tests are easy and not painful.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Some of the tests the audiologist might use include:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Test or Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) Test</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) or Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER)&nbsp;is a test that checks the brain&#39;s response to sound. Because this test does not rely on a person&rsquo;s response behavior, the person being tested can be sound asleep during the test.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Description: Hearing test" src="https://www.zdrav.kz/images/refs3/hlc1.jpg" /></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)&nbsp;is a test that checks the inner ear response to sound. Because this test does not rely on a person&rsquo;s response behavior, the person being tested can be sound asleep during the test.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Behavioral Audiometry Evaluation</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Behavioral Audiometry Evaluation&nbsp;will test how a person responds to sound overall. Behavioral Audiometry Evaluation tests the function of all parts of the ear. The person being tested must be awake and actively respond to sounds heard during the test.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">With the parents&rsquo; permission, the audiologist will share the results with the child&rsquo;s primary care doctor and other experts, such as:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An ear, nose and throat doctor, also called an&nbsp;otolaryngologist</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; An eye doctor, also called an ophthalmologist</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A professional trained in genetics, also called a clinical geneticist or a genetics counselor</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Description: Child signing the word mother to an adult" src="https://www.zdrav.kz/images/refs3/hlc2.jpg" /></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="4" name="4">Treatments and Intervention Services</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">No single treatment or&nbsp;intervention&nbsp;is the answer for every child or family. Good intervention plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups and any changes needed along the way. There are many different options for children with hearing loss and their families.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Some of the treatment and intervention options include:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Working with a professional (or team) who can help a child and family learn to communicate.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Getting a hearing device, such as a hearing aid.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Joining support groups.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Taking advantage of other resources available to children with a hearing loss and their families.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="5" name="5">Early Intervention and Special Education</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Early Intervention (0-3 years)</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing loss can affect a child&rsquo;s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. The earlier a child who is deaf or hard-of-hearing starts getting services, the more likely the child&rsquo;s speech, language, and social skills will reach their full potential.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Early intervention program services help young children with hearing loss learn language skills and other important skills. Research shows that early intervention services can greatly improve a child&rsquo;s development.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Babies that are diagnosed with hearing loss should begin to get intervention services as soon as possible, but&nbsp;<strong>no later than 6 months of age</strong>.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many services available through the&nbsp;Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004).&nbsp;Services for children from birth through 36 months of age are called Early Intervention or Part C services. Even if your child has not been diagnosed with a hearing loss, he or she may be eligible for early intervention treatment services. The IDEA 2004 says that children under the age of 3 years (36 months) who are at risk of having developmental delays may be eligible for services. These services are provided through an early intervention system in your state. Through this system, you can ask for an evaluation.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Special Education (3-22 years)</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Special education is instruction specifically designed to address the educational and related developmental needs of older children with disabilities, or those who are experiencing developmental delays. Services for these children are provided through the public school system. These services are available through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEA 2004), Part B.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Every state has an Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program. EHDI works to identify infants and children with hearing loss. EHDI also promotes timely follow-up testing and services or interventions for any family whose child has a hearing loss.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="6" name="6">Technology</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Many people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing have some hearing. The amount of hearing a deaf or hard-of-hearing person has is called &quot;residual hearing&quot;. Technology does not &quot;cure&quot; hearing loss, but may help a child with hearing loss to make the most of their residual hearing. For those parents who choose to have their child use technology, there are many options, including:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hearing aids</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cochlear implants</span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bone-anchored hearing aids</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Other assistive devices</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Hearing Aids</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Description: Photo: Baby with hearing aid" src="https://www.zdrav.kz/images/refs3/hlc3.jpg" /></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing aids make sounds louder. They can be worn by people of any age, including infants. Babies with hearing loss may understand sounds better using hearing aids. This may give them the chance to learn speech skills at a young age.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">There are many styles of hearing aids. They can help many types of hearing losses. A young child is usually fitted with behind-the-ear style hearing aids because they are better suited to growing ears.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Cochlear Implants</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">A cochlear implant may help many children with severe to profound hearing loss &mdash; even very young children. It gives that child a way to hear when a hearing aid is not enough. Unlike a hearing aid, cochlear implants do not make sounds louder. A cochlear implant sends sound signals directly to the hearing nerve.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">A cochlear implant has two main parts &mdash; the parts that are placed inside the ear during surgery, and the parts that are worn outside the ear after surgery. The parts outside the ear send sounds to the parts inside the ear.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carried out studies in 2002 and 2006 to learn more about a possible link between cochlear implants and bacterial meningitis in children with cochlear implants.&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">This type of hearing aid can be considered when a child has either a&nbsp;conductive,&nbsp;mixed&nbsp;or&nbsp;unilateral&nbsp;hearing loss and is specifically suitable for children who cannot otherwise wear &#39;in the ear&#39; or &#39;behind the ear&#39; hearing aids.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Other Assistive Devices</strong></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Besides hearing aids, there are other devices that help people with hearing loss. Following are some examples of other assistive devices:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FM System<br />
An FM system is a kind of device that helps people with hearing loss hear in background noise. FM stands for&nbsp;<em>frequency modulation</em>. It is the same type of signal used for radios. FM systems send sound from a microphone used by someone speaking to a person wearing the receiver. This system is sometimes used with hearing aids. An extra piece is attached to the hearing aid that works with the FM system.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Captioning<br />
Many television programs, videos, and DVDs are captioned. Television sets made after 1993 are made to show the captioning. You don&#39;t have to buy anything special. Captions show the conversation spoken in soundtrack of a program on the bottom of the television screen.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Other devices<br />
There are many other devices available for children with hearing loss. Some of these include:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Text messaging</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Telephone amplifiers</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Flashing and vibrating alarms</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Audio loop systems</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Infrared listening devices</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Portable sound amplifiers</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; TTY (Text Telephone or teletypewriter)</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="7" name="7">Medical and Surgical</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Medications or surgery may also help make the most of a person&rsquo;s hearing. This is especially true for a conductive hearing loss, or one that involves a part of the outer or middle ear that is not working in the usual way.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><img alt="Description: Photo: perscription bottles" src="https://www.zdrav.kz/images/refs3/hlc4.jpg" /></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">One type of conductive hearing loss can be caused by a chronic ear infection. A chronic ear infection is a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum in the middle ear space. Most ear infections are managed with medication or careful monitoring. Infections that don&#39;t go away with medication can be treated with a simple surgery that involves putting a tiny tube into the eardrum to drain the fluid out.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Another type of conductive hearing loss is caused by either the outer and or middle ear not forming correctly while the baby was growing in the mother&#39;s womb. Both the outer and middle ear need to work together in order for sound to be sent correctly to the inner ear. If any of these parts did not form correctly, there might be a hearing loss in that ear. This problem may be improved and perhaps even corrected with surgery. An ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) is the health care professional who usually takes care of this problem.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Placing a cochlear implant or bone-anchored hearing aid will also require a surgery.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Learning Language</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Without extra help, children with hearing loss have problems learning language. These children can then be at risk for other delays. Families who have children with hearing loss often need to change their communication habits or learn special skills (such as sign language) to help their children learn language. These skills can be used together with hearing aids, cochlear implants, and other devices that help children hear.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="8" name="8">Causes and Risk Factors</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing loss can happen any time during life &ndash; from before birth to adulthood.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Following are some of the things that can increase the chance that a child will have hearing loss:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A genetic cause: About 1 out of 2 cases of hearing loss in babies is due to genetic causes. Some babies with a genetic cause for their hearing loss might have family members who also have a hearing loss. About 1 out of 3 babies with genetic hearing loss have a &ldquo;syndrome.&rdquo; This means they have other conditions in addition to the hearing loss, such as Down syndrome or Usher syndrome.&nbsp;</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 out of 4 cases of hearing loss in babies is due to maternal infections during pregnancy, complications after birth, and head trauma. For example, the child:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Was exposed to infection, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, before birth</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Spent 5 days or more in a hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) or had complications while in the NICU</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Needed a special procedure like a blood transfusion to treat bad&nbsp;jaundice</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Has head, face or ears shaped or formed in a different way than usual</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Has a condition like a neurological disorder that may be associated with hearing loss</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Had an infection around the brain and spinal cord called meningitis</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; Received a bad injury to the head that required a hospital stay</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For about 1 out of 4 babies born with hearing loss, the cause is unknown.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="9" name="9">Prevention</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Following are tips for parents to help prevent hearing loss in their children:</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Have a&nbsp;healthy pregnancy.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Learn how to prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Make sure your child gets all the&nbsp;regular childhood vaccines.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Keep your child away from high noise levels, such as from very loud toys. Visit the&nbsp;National Institutes of Health&rsquo;s website&nbsp;to learn more about preventing noise-induced hearing loss.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a id="0" name="0">Get Help!</a></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If you think that your child might have hearing loss, ask the child&rsquo;s doctor for a&nbsp;<strong>hearing screening</strong>&nbsp;as soon as possible. Don&rsquo;t wait!</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If your child does not pass a hearing screening, ask the child&rsquo;s doctor for a&nbsp;<strong>full hearing test</strong>&nbsp;as soon as possible.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If your child has hearing loss, talk to the child&rsquo;s doctor about&nbsp;<strong>treatment and</strong>&nbsp;<strong>intervention services</strong>.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Hearing loss can affect a child&rsquo;s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills. The earlier children with hearing loss start getting services, the more likely they are to reach their full potential. If you are a parent and you suspect your child has hearing loss, trust your instincts and speak with your child&rsquo;s doctor.</span></span></p>

<p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Source&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/index.html">https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hearingloss/index.html</a></span></span></p>
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