My baby does not seem to hear me when I make a noise behind him. Yes, any age child can have their hearing tested. Even newborns can have their hearing screened. If you have any question of your child's ability to hear, it is very important to get his or her hearing tested as soon as possible. This is important because a child's ability to understand speech is developing even in infancy.
Loss of hearing can affect speech development.
The loss of effective communication can have a life long impact. Some children are born with a hearing loss and others develop it later on. Some types of hearing loss are inherited and others occur due to abnormal development of the hearing apparatus. Ear infections and persistent fluid in the middle ear can cause a mild to moderate hearing loss. Any identified hearing loss in a child needs to be completely investigated.