7 signs of childhood hearing problems

Expert comments on the impact of minor hearing difficulties on the learning process

Although it is very common and often goes unnoticed by parents, the phrase “I heard, but I don’t understand” can indicate hearing problems, especially when it comes to children. Otolaryngologist Bruno Borges de Carvalho Barros, from the capital São Paulo, warns that these minor difficulties can have a significant impact on the development of linguistic and cognitive skills of the little ones.

“Hearing is the primary medium for communication and for verbal language acquisition. However, we may not have any degree of Hearing loss and still have problems related to sound processing. Central Auditory Processing (CAP) is how the brain recognizes, interprets and organizes the auditory information we hear,” explains the doctor.

Importance of PAC for hearing

When we hear something, that sound stimulus travels far from the ear to the cerebral cortex. Each region is responsible for different hearing abilities and, in order for the entire path to be covered without detours, the parts or structures involved must be perfect.

Any CAP disorder can lead to impairments and deprivations in both experience with the external environment and in learning, in the case of children. CAP can be evaluated by examinations performed by speech pathologists and, if changes are identified, individualized therapy can be started for them.

Hearing and child development

The doctor. Bruno Borges says that the learning Hearing begins with the recognition, localization and discrimination of sounds and develops to become the basis of spoken and written speech. “Stimulation performed from the earliest years of life improves this process and any sign of hearing loss should be investigated,” warns the specialist.

Signs of hearing problems

The doctor otolaryngologist Dr. Bruno Borges lists some signs of when it is worth seeking a specialized evaluation:

1. Difficulty paying attention;
2. Difficulty understanding in the presence of competitive messages or noises;
3. Difficulty remembering what was said or seems to have memory problems
4. Difficulty locating where sound is coming from
5. School difficulties;
6. Difficulty following a sequence of tasks that you are told;
7. Difficulty understanding jokes or puns.

“Medical and language tests are required for this assessment, and the results can provide information about a child’s system integrity and functional abilities, as well as suggest insights into academic achievement, communication success, and psychosocial well-being,” the doctor explains.

Furthermore, according to Dr. Bruno Borges, for cases where there is a need to use hearing aids “it is important to break prejudices and invest in something so necessary that it can save hearing, children’s learning and quality of adult life”.

By Mayra Barreto Cinel

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.