Hearing Loss

Hearing is an important part of your child’s life, affecting his or her ability to learn and interact with others. Your child’s hearing loss may be categorized into three separate types. Conductive hearing loss results when sound is partially or fully blocked in the outer or middle ear, preventing sound waves from reaching the inner ear. This is common in children and can be caused by fluid or wax buildup, infection, abnormal formation of ear bones or objects stuck in the ear. Many times, it is temporary. Sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to the hair cells or nerves in the inner ear that carry sound to the brain. This type of hearing loss can be caused by loud noises, infection, medication, premature birth or jaundice and is usually permanent. Children can also have mixed hearing loss, which is a combination of conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.

Less common conditions include auditory processing disorder, in which the ear works properly but the brain doesn’t interpret sound correctly. Your child may have poor listening skills, difficulty understanding speech or trouble with reading, spelling and vocabulary. Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder occurs when the brain is unable to recognize and interpret sound correctly, causing words to be misheard.