Most children hear and listen from the moment they are born. They learn to talk by imitating the sounds around them and the voices of their parents and caregivers. But not all children - about 2 or 3 out of every 1,000 children in the U.S. are born deaf or hard-of-hearing. More lose their hearing later during childhood.
Babies should have a hearing screening before they are a month old. If your child has hearing loss, it is important to consider the use of hearing devices and other communication options by age 6 months, because children start learning speech and language long before they talk.
Hearing problems can be temporary or permanent. Sometimes, ear infections, injuries or diseases affect hearing. If your child does not hear well, get help.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
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Communication Considerations for Parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children
(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/commopt.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/commun_span.asp -
Has Your Baby's Hearing Been Screened?(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/screened.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/screen_span.asp
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Silence Isn't Always Golden(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/silence.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/silence_span.asp
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Hearing Problems in Children(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/special/common/025.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/special/common/025.printerview.html
- Resource Guide for Families of Young Children with Hearing Loss(Florida Dept. of Health, Children’s Medical Services) - Links to PDF - http://www.cms-kids.com/IHFamily.htm
- MRI Detects Soft Tissue Damage Affecting Kids' Hearing(09/16/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69350.html
- All Newborns Should Have Ears Screened, Task Force Says(07/18/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_67127.html
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How Will I Know If My Child Has Trouble Hearing?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/question/general/trouble_hearing.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/preguntas/trouble_hearing_esp.html
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What to Do if Your Baby’s Screening Reveals a Possible Hearing Problem(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/baby_screening.asp
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Has Your Baby's Hearing Been Screened?(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/screened.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/screen_span.asp
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Hearing Evaluation in Children(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/eyes/hear.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/general/hear_esp.html
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Listen to Your Buds! Information for Parents(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.listentoyourbuds.org/parents.php
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.listentoyourbuds.org/parents.php?id=parents
- Aural Rehabilitation for Children(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/child_aur_rehab.htm
- Assistive Technology: Assistive Listening Devices (ALD)(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/assist_tech.htm
- Children and Hearing Aids(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/treatment/child_aids.htm
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Cochlear Implants(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/coch_span.asp
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Auditory Neuropathy(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/neuropathy.asp
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Auditory Processing Disorder in Children(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/auditory.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/spanish/audidsrdr_span.asp
- Causes of Hearing Loss in Children(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/causes.htm
- Deafness and Hearing Loss(National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities) - http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs3txt.htm
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Enlarged Vestibular Aqueducts and Childhood Hearing Loss(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/eva.htm
- Noisy Toys, Dangerous Play(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/noisy_toys.htm
- Overview on Deaf-Blindness(National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness) - http://www.dblink.org/lib/overview.htm
- Pendred Syndrome(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pendred.htm
- Advice for Patients with Cochlear Implants: New Information on Meningitis Risk(Center for Devices and Radiological Health) - http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/medicaldevicesafety/atp/101007-cochlear.html
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American Sign Language(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/asl.asp
- Effects of Hearing Loss on Development(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/effects.htm
- How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/chart.htm
- Use of Meningitis Vaccine in Persons with Cochlear Implants(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/cochlear/dis-cochlear-gen.htm
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Questions and Answers: Information about Your Hearing(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/education/owlgame/defaultpage.htm
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Cochlear Implant to Benefit the Deaf(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - 7/26/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=612
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If I Had - A Child Born with Microtia(Insidermedicine) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.insidermedicine.com/Archives/If_I_Had_-_A_Child_Born_With_Microtia_-_Dr_Roland_Eavey_MD_2211.aspx?p=mdlnp
- Atlas of the Body: The Ear(American Medical Association) - http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZYXNW46JC&sub_cat=198
- How Hearing & Balance Work(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/anatomy/
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Your Ears(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/ears.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/cuerpo/ear_esp.html
- Funding Resources for Audiology Services and Hearing Aids(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/coverage/audfundingresources.htm
- Speech, Language, and Hearing Benefits: Making Sense of Your Health Insurance Plan(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - Links to PDF - http://www.asha.org/NR/rdonlyres/03AE04A5-4AC3-41FB-993B-87654D2DB1C8/0/HealthInsBrochure.pdf
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Hearing Disorders(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Hearing+Disorders%22
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Genetics Home Reference: CHARGE syndrome(National Library of Medicine) - http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=chargesyndrome
- Genetics of Infant Hearing Loss(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi/genetics.htm
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The need for standardization of methods for worldwide infant hearing... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18806479&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Evaluation of pediatric sensorineural hearing loss with magnetic resonance imaging. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18794439&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Early language outcomes of early-identified infants with permanent hearing loss... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18762523&tool=MedlinePlus
- Hearing Problems in Children -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=hearing+disorders[majr]+NOT+(usher+syndromes[mh]+OR+tinnitus[mh])+OR+rehabilitation+of+hearing+impaired[mh]+OR+hearing+impaired+persons[mh]+OR+hearing+aids[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(child[mh]+OR+infant[mh]+OR+adolescent[mh]+NOT+aged[mh])+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+review[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
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NIDCD Glossary(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/glossary/
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Directory of Organizations (Deafness and Communication Disorders)(National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/directory/
- Find a Professional: Online Directory of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Programs(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/proserv/
- Find an Audiologist(American Academy of Audiology) - http://webportal.audiology.org/Custom/FindAnAudiologist.aspx
- Summer Camp Programs for Children and Adults with Communication Disorders(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/outreach/camps/
- American Academy of Audiology - http://www.audiology.org/
- American Hearing Research Foundation - http://www.american-hearing.org/
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association - http://www.asha.org/
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National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
- Status of State Universal Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening Legislation and Laws(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/about/legislation-advocacy/state/bill_status.htm
- Hearing Loss(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/ddhi.htm
- Prevalence and Incidence of Hearing Loss in Children(American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) - http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/disorders/children.htm
- Can Loud Music Hurt My Ears?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/talk/qa/rock_music.html
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Going to the Audiologist(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/sight/hearing_test.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/ayudan/hearing_test_esp.html
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What's Hearing Loss?(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/sight/hearing_impairment.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/cuerpo/hearing_impairment_esp.html
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Hearing Impairment(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/sight/hearing_impairment.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/enfermedades/hearing_impairment_esp.html
- Hearing Disorders and Deafness - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hearingdisordersanddeafness.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Ear, Nose and Throat - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/earnoseandthroat.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Hearing Problems in Children is the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders - http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/
Hearing Problems in Children - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/hearingproblemsinchildren.html