Audiology Evaluations

Children with hearing loss experience delayed development in language, learning and speech. Hearing problems should be identified as early as possible so that appropriate services can be started.

Your baby may need a hearing evaluation if they do not:

Birth to 6 Months

• React to loud sounds with a startle, crying, blinking, waking up or changes in sucking
• Smile or quiet to familiar voices or sounds
• Seem to recognize your voice
• Turn eyes in the direction of sounds
• Respond to changes in the tone of your voice
• Show interest in music and toys that make sounds
• Start to make speech-like sounds (“ga,” “ooh” or “ba”)

6 to 12 Months

• Look around for the source of new sounds (e.g. telephone, vacuum, dog barking)
• Enjoy games like “Peek-A-Boo” and “Pat-A-Cake”
• Follow simple commands such as “come here” or “give me”

12 to 24 Months

• Begin using single words and their vocabulary does not grow regularly
• Begin using two-word utterances by 24 months

Additionally, all children who did not receive a Newborn Hearing Screening, or did not pass a screening at some point, should have their hearing evaluated.

Good hearing is essential to the social, behavioral and academic development in children.

Your child may need a hearing evaluation if they:

• Seem to have difficulty hearing
• Say “What?” or “Huh?” frequently
• Speak loudly
• Seem inattentive
• Turn the television up too loud
• Have delays in speech and/or language development
• Frequently misunderstand information
• Cannot localize or find the source of a sound
• Have allergies or chronic ear infections
• Have had a childhood infectious disease such as mumps or measles
• Are exposed to loud noises, including loud toys

Hearing loss is one of the most common health conditions for adults. It can have a significant impact on the ability to communicate with coworkers, family and friends. Not all hearing loss is permanent, and for cases that are, hearing aid technology has improved significantly in recent years and may greatly improve communication.

You should have your hearing evaluated if you:

• Have been noticing that you are having trouble hearing
• Have had family, friends or peers tell you that you are not hearing well
• Feel that you hear but don’t understand, and people sound like they are mumbling
• Cannot hear with background noise
• Cannot localize sounds in the environment
• Have ringing, hissing or buzzing sounds in your ears
• Have dizziness or vertigo
• Have pain, pressure, fullness or a blocked feeling in your ears
• Have had a history of noise exposure at work, in the military or recreationally
• Have had trauma to your ears or your head
• Have diabetes or an elevated body mass index (obesity)