Age Developmental Milestones
9 months
Demonstrate an understanding of simple words “mommy” , “daddy” , “no”, “bye bye”
10 months
Babbling should sound “speech like,” with single syllables strung together (”da-da-da-da”).
The first recognizable words emerge at about htis time.
1 year
One or more real words spoken.
18 months
Understand simple phrases, retrieve familiar objects on command (without gestures) and point to
body parts. Also should have spoken vocabulary between 20 and 50 words and use short phrases
(”no more”, “go out”).
24 months
Spoken vocabulary should at least be 150 words, coupled witht he emergence of simple two word
sentences. Most speech should be understandable to adults who are not with the child daily.
Toddlers also should be able to sit and listen to read aloud picture books.
3 to 5 years
Spoken language should be used constantly to express wants, reflect emotions, convey information
and ask questions. A pre-schooler should unde
rstand nearly all that is said. Vocabulary grows from
1000 to 2000 words which are linked in complex and meaningful sentences. All speech sounds should
be clear and understandable by the end of the pre-school peroid.
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These milestones are rough “rules of thumb”, for the majority of children. If your child is more than 2-3 months delayed compared to the above-mentioned age-groups, it might indicate a hearing loss or a delayed speech-language development.
You should always be aware when your child does not respond appropriately to sounds. Sometimes, a lack of response is attributed to inattention, but it is important to determine if inconsistent or no responses actually stem from an inability to hear.
Common Signs that children may not be hearing normally
The single most important sign of possible hearing loss, however, is a lack or delayed development of speech and language. Even if you do not suspect a hearing loss, if your child is not developing speech, especially compared to peers or olders siblings, then there is reason to be concerned about your child’s hearing.
Outlined below are factors indicating that a child is at risk of a hearing loss.
Newborns - Birth to 28 Days
Infants -29 Days to 2 years
Noise Exposure
One of the most common, and yet completely preventable, causes permanent sensorineural hearing loss
is noise exposure. High level of noise can cause temporary or permanent damage to the sensory hair
cells within the cochlea. Vehicles, appliances and stereos, all produce noise which may be detrimental
to hearing, depending on how close the noise source is and the length of exposure. In addition, some
toys or computer games and certainly rock music concerts may damage hearing.
Children should be taught the dangers of noise exposure and instructed to use ear protection when necessary.
Mixed Hearing Loss
Sometimes, a combination of factors occurs which affects both the middle ear and the inner ear (cochlea),
resulting in a mixed hearing loss.
The medical care of a child with hearing loss is provided by a physician (otolaryngologist of ENT specialist). The audilogist (hearing specialist) provides help in testing, monitoring and fitting hearing instruments and providing auditory therapy.
The physician may call for further testing to ascertain if other physical conditions are associated with the hearing impairment. Information from the tests are provided to the child’s pediatrician for inclision in permanent health records.
If your child has a hearing loss which cannot be treated medically or surgically, your audiologist can offer you various options to help your child hear better. There is now virtually no hearing loss that cannot be helped through the use of appropriate listening devices.
The goal for children with permanent hearing loss is to optimize auditory abilities to help them with language learning and academic development.
Hearing instruments amplify sound and can be provided at any age. A young child is fit with behind-the-ear (BTE) style hearing instruments. These are placed behind the ear, attached to a custom-fit ear mold, which fit inside the ear canal. These hearing instruments come in a variety of colors and can help a wide range of hearing losses -- from mild to moderate to profound. Older children may be candidates for the in-the-ear (ITE) style hearing instruments which are custom-made to fit inside the ear canal and help with mild-to- severe hearing losses. the decision whether the child should be fit with one or two hearing instruments depends mainly on the configuration of the hearing loss.
New high-technology features today offer the use of remote controls, enabling the older child the ability to shift between several listening programs, suitable for the different acoustical situations a child encounters during a normal day. these programs are chosen in close cooperation between the child, the parents and the audiologist. Also, directional microphones give the child the chance to suppress background noises and “zoom in” on speech, even in a noisy classroom.
Talk to your audiologist abot what might be suitable for your child.