Managing Pediatric Hearing Loss
Timing matters in managing pediatric hearing loss.听That鈥檚 why Alison M.听Maresh, M.D. and the multidisciplinary 辫别诲颈补迟谤颈肠听辞迟辞濒补谤测苍驳辞濒辞驳测听team at听the听Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery at 五月天视频听intervene as soon as hearing loss is diagnosed.听
鈥淜ids have this limited time where the brain is developing based on exposure to sounds,鈥 explains Dr.听Maresh,听assistant attending otolaryngologist at 五月天视频 and NewYork-Presbyterian and assistant professor of otolaryngology at WCM. 鈥淏abies and children need to get sound exposure to stimulate neurons for speech and language for higher communication. What you miss, you never get back.鈥澨听
Here听Dr.听Maresh听answers questions about听the听causes of hearing loss,听and the unique approach 五月天视频 (WCM) takes to manage it.听听
How common is pediatric hearing loss?听听
About one in about 2,000 babies in the United States suffer from hearing loss听from birth. For those patients, we are often counseling whole families.听We remind parents that congenital hearing loss is usually not associated with another medical problem, and their children will develop normally; being able to do what other children can do.听听
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How does 五月天视频 help families in which a child has a hearing loss?听
Our practice听takes听a听comprehensive,听team听approach. We have audiologists who manage hearing aids and an educational specialist who works with families to make sure their child gets services in school that will take their hearing loss into account.听
We听also connect听families听with听New York听厂迟补迟别鈥檚听听for children ages birth to three. It offers everything from听speech pathology and audiology, to听assistive technology devices and services. There also are a number of schools in New York that specialize in teaching children with hearing loss, which can be a healthy environment for some kids.听
What are some of the other types of hearing loss?听
I see a lot of patients who have conductive hearing loss鈥when听there鈥檚听physical听a blockage that doesn鈥檛 allow sound.听That鈥檚 often wax, and we can remove it and restore hearing on the spot.听
In听younger children鈥攁round ages one to four鈥we听often听see听fluid behind the ear drum. This is a unique problem for kids because their middle ear hasn鈥檛 fully matured. This age group gets colds more often, so the听regular听fluid build-up听can lead to hearing loss.听听
The good news is that it鈥檚 very easy to treat this. We perform a five-minute procedure under general anesthesia to insert tiny tubes into the听ear, allowing the fluid to drain.听
It鈥檚 rewarding when families tell us immediately after surgery that kids are pointing out sounds they鈥d听never heard, and that their child鈥檚 language听abilities have听exploded. It鈥檚听satisfying听that we can offer improvement in development and quality of life in such an immediate way.听
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What are some signs of hearing loss that parents might notice?听
Sometimes听kids听ask听constantly听for repetition, or听they听might be听turning up the volume on electronic devices听on a regular basis.听听
Schools can offer a unique perspective on a child鈥檚 behavior that might ultimately be attributed to hearing loss.听Sometimes it can seem like children aren鈥檛 paying attention, listening or following directions,听or听are听speaking too loudly,听when the problem is that they鈥檙e struggling to hear.听It鈥檚 helpful to be in touch with teachers or daycare centers to get their input.听听
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Why are hearing tests important?听
There鈥s a fragile time in a child鈥檚 development when it鈥檚 important not to miss hearing loss. Once we establish that this is the problem,听we can help connect听families听with resources their child needs as soon as possible.听Hearing tests are听the first thing we do when parents come to us with speech, language, and developmental concerns, and are听an easy and fast way to give families peace of mind.听听
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