Children usually have their hearing screened within schools at ages 4-5. However, hearing can change after that age due to many factors (wax, ear infections, injury/trauma, upper respiratory tract infections, etc.) It’s estimated that around 15% of children in schools have mild hearing loss.
Even a small change in hearing may lead to delays with a child’s language and speech development. Slightly older children with hearing loss may see academic problems at school, setbacks in developing social skills and a loss of overall confidence.
If you as a teacher, or staff at your child’s school have noticed any of the following signs in a pupil, it could be an indication of mild hearing loss:
● Becoming unsettled at school and misbehaving
● Poor academic performance, struggling with reading, spelling and phonics
● Asking for things to be repeated
● Inattentiveness or ‘day-dreaming’
● Watching lips closely when spoken to
● Speaking loudly or without clarity
As difficulties with hearing in children can sometimes manifest as behavioural issues, it’s important to organise a test. This is especially true if a child is being assessed for ADHD or a behavioural disorder – it’s important to get a hearing check too.
Read more about our paediatric treatments in our dedicated section. We maintain the exact same high standards whether treating one child or an entire class. Get in touch for more information about options for school visits today.
