Treatment may be as simple as antibiotics or other medicine prescribed by your pediatrician or health care provider. But if not treated, an ear infection can get worse, possibly cause hearing loss and interfere with a child's learning. How hearing develops Even before birth, babies listen to the sounds in the womb. After birth, babies quickly learn to recognize voices and identify favorite toys. By one year, your child should understand words, even though she may not be able to talk.
Good hearing is especially important when learning to speak.
A mild hearing problem is one factor commonly considered when a child repeatedly confuses the sounds of letters. Sometimes, unaware of a child's hearing difficulty, parents confuse a child's unresponsiveness as being stubborn or having a learning disability. Discuss a complete lack of language development with your pediatrician. Preschool programs for hearing-impaired children are offered at hearing, speech and language centers. If a hearing loss is diagnosed, treatment can include medication, surgery, a hearing aid or all three.