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Hearing loss is the most frequent birth defect, with three of every one thousand newborns affected to some degree.  Despite such large numbers of children born with a hearing impairment, not all hospitals automatically test newborns’ hearing—in fact, only twenty percent of all babies are tested before they leave the hospital. Therefore, it is important that you have your child’s hearing tested as soon as possible. 

The first few months of life are extremely important for the development of language and communication.  Difficulty hearing will drastically decrease a child’s understanding of and connection to the world.  It will also affect the ability to learn, speak, and develop thinking skills and social skills.  However, this can be avoided with a simple hearing exam that will alert you if your child’s hearing is impaired.  The earlier this exam is given, the better it is for your baby.

Pay attention to your child's hearing and communication development. While each child develops at a different rate, there are some general milestones your child should reach during the first two years of life.

Even when still in the womb, babies can hear.  In fact, by the time she is born, your newborn may have been listening to sounds for four months. Her mother’s heartbeat and the sound of family members’ voices are familiar sounds by this point.  This is why newborn babies can distinguish their mother’s voice from other women’s voices almost immediately.  Once born, sounds are suddenly much louder and clearer for your baby.  Pay attention to your child’s responses to sounds.  While she may not yet understand that sound comes from what she sees, she should recognize your voice.  Loud and unfamiliar noises may startle her, but she will like to hear you sing soft, melodious music.  While it may not appear so, she is listening to everything you say.

2 to 7 months of age

These months are crucial in your child’s hearing and language development.  Your baby loves to hear your voice, so talk to him and encourage him to imitate your sounds.  Even when he is cooing and baa-ing, have a conversation with him, so that he begins to learn when to speak and when to listen.  While at first he will understand only the tone of your voice, he will soon be able to understand some words.  By six months your baby will probably be able to turn his eyes towards a sound, and by seven months, he should start to recognize and respond to his own name. 

During this time, your child will be babbling and experimenting with language. While real words will come slowly, your child understands much more than she can express.  She knows her name and will perhaps at least pause if you say “No!”  She should respond when you tell her to “wave bye-bye” or “crawl to mommy.”  Talking to her all the time and encouraging her language efforts will help her learn new words and ideas.  Soon the babbles will become more of a “real” conversation.

1 to 2 years of age

By this point, your child should understand the names of familiar objects and family members, and he should begin saying those names soon. His language skills will be improving quickly during this stage.  In fact, after about sixteen months, toddlers learn more words in a week than in the previous six months! By the end of the second year, most children can say at least fifty words and will probably move from using single words to short sentences.  Hearing is crucial to this process of learning and communication.  If you think your child is having trouble hearing, or if he is having trouble with language, talk to a doctor immediately.  Although all children develop at different rates, if your child has a hearing problem, the earlier it is caught, the less progress the child will lose in learning language.

3 to 5 years of age

Between the ages of three and five, your child's language skills should be improving remarkably. At this age, your child should be able to use language to communicate inner thoughts and ideas, and she will love sharing them with you. She will be starting to understand poems and jokes, and she will make more complex sentences when she speaks. She will imitate adult words and sounds, and she should speak clearly enough that non-family members can understand her. If your child's language development seems off-track, a hearing impairment may be the cause. If your child's hearing is even slightly muffled, this could affect her language development significantly, since she learns language by hearing others talk.

Ear infections

Ear infections among children are extremely common. While ear infections are often caused by bacteria and are not contagious, the colds that usually cause them are, and these spread easily among children. Ear infections often result in inflammation and fluid build-up in the middle ear, which can cause your child's hearing to be muffled or blocked. Since the first few years of life are crucial for language development, frequent ear infections can hamper your child's communication skills. If your child has an ear infection, see a doctor so that your child does not miss out at this crucial time. Also be sure to have your child's hearing checked on a regular basis. If a severe ear infection has dimmed your child's hearing, you will want to know as soon as possible so that your child's language development stays on track.

For more information on language and communication skills, see Language Development.