P123 Parents face many questions and decisions when their child is diagnosed with a hearing loss.
Informed parents are able to be better advocates for their child.
It does not necessarily mean a complete inability to hear. There are degrees of hearing impairment that range from a very mild hearing loss which may go unnoticed, to a very severe hearing loss which makes it virtually impossible for a child to develop speech and language skills without help. Hearing loss can be present at birth, or it may develop later in life. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by problems during pregnancy or delivery. It is often very difficult to pinpoint what has caused hearing loss in a particular child.