A child's brain develops in response to the amount of sensory stimulation it receives. Children with unidentified hearing loss do not receive adequate sensory stimulation beginning at birth, and their language circuitry may never fully develop. The first two years of an infant's life are the most important. Children attach meaning to sounds long before they shed their diapers. They launch into grammatical analysis before they can tie their shoes.
Early diagnosis offers the best hope of optimal outcomes.
Hearing impaired babies can be fitted with hearing aids, and can begin intervention, as early as 3 months of age. Infants identified at birth, whose therapies begin immediately, who would otherwise fall far behind in language and social development, can now grow alongside their normal hearing peers. All children deserve the chance achieve their fullest potential. With early detection, every child has that opportunity. If you have any questions about your baby's hearing or language development, contact your pediatrician.