What Is Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is the inability to hear certain sounds in one or both ears. It is a common misconception that people with hearing loss can not hear anything at all. Oftentimes, those with hearing loss can hear, they just lack clarity, especially when it comes to hearing certain words in noisy environments. Hearing loss can be caused by many factors, including age, genetics, loud noise exposure, earwax impaction, ear infections, and underlying health conditions.
Hearing loss can happen to anyone, of any age. That is why it is important to have your hearing screened on a regular basis, to catch the signs early.
Signs of Hearing Loss
Many people who are hearing impaired have presbycusis – age related hearing loss. This type of loss can be difficult to recognize because the hair cells in the inner ear – responsible for hearing – deteriorate over time, subtly making it harder to hear.
Some common indicators to be aware of include:
- Sounds seem muffled or unclear
- It’s difficult to hear when there is background noise (e.g., in a restaurant)
- Women and children’s voices are harder to hear
- You frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- You miss parts of conversations
- You have to turn the volume on the TV or radio up louder than others like
Hearing Loss in Children
Hearing loss in children is common. In fact, about 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the U.S. are born with hearing loss. Your child’s hearing plays a crucial role in their emotional, social, and cognitive development. It’s important to be proactive about your child’s hearing in order to provide them with the necessary resources for success.
Recognize the signs of hearing loss in your infant with these milestones your child should reach in their first year of life:
- Most infants will jump or startle at a sudden loud noise
- By 3 months they should recognize their parent’s voice
- By 6 months they can usually turn their eyes or head towards a sound
- By 12 months they can usually imitate sounds and say a few words, such as “Mama” or “bye-bye”
Hearing loss can occur at any age, so it’s important to monitor your child’s hearing ability as they grow.
Signs of hearing loss in children may include:
- They have limited, poor, or no speech
- They are inattentive
- Difficulty learning
- They need to have the TV at a higher volume
- They fail to respond to conversation-level speech
- They answer inappropriately to speech
- The don’t respond to their name
- They become easily frustrated when there is background noise
Hearing and Brain Health
Good brain health relies on hearing. Our brains use hearing to make sense of the sounds around us and to stay active and healthy. When left untreated, hearing loss makes it difficult to hear certain sounds, and over time the brain won’t recognize those sounds anymore. This can eventually lead to cognitive decline and even dementia.
It’s important to maintain good hearing health so you can remain socially active. Those who have hearing loss are more likely to socially withdraw from other people, this can lead to isolation, depression, forgetfulness, and over time cognitive decline.
Hearing aids are a great tool to manage hearing loss as they provide your ears and brain with the necessary sounds to stay engaged. Don’t let hearing loss affect your brain health, contact our office today!