Today, March 3rd is World Hearing Day! This observance designated by the World Health Organization aims to raise awareness on how to prevent hearing loss and promote ear and hearing care across the world.

Hearing loss affects all age groups. Access to hearing at all life stages is important for communication and good hearing health connects us to each other, our communities, and the world!

For those who have hearing loss, appropriate and timely interventions can facilitate access to education, employment, and communication.

At Listen and Talk, we want to ensure that parents know the signs of hearing loss for their child this World Hearing day. 

Signs for babies:

• Does not startle at loud noises.
• Does not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age.
• Does not say single words, such as “dada” or “mama” by 1 year of age.
• 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.
• Seems to hear some sounds but not others.

Signs for children:

• Speech is delayed.
• Speech is not clear.
• 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.
• Often says, “Huh?”
• Turns the TV volume up too high.

If you are ever concerned about your child’s hearing you can request an appointment with an audiologist to have a full hearing evaluation. It’s never too early to have your child’s hearing evaluated!