Typically, children are given hearing tests from within a few weeks of being born to four or five years old. This can determine early issues with hearing development. It could be possible that your child shows signs of a hearing problem at an older age, however. It’s important to look out for these and always visit a specialist to be on the safe side. There could be a number of causes and it’s essential to get to the heart of the matter. Here are five signs your child may need a hearing test.

Difficulty concentrating at school

If they have displayed significant changes in their progress at school or a recent difficulty in concentrating this could be due to a hearing problem. This is not the only possible cause of a decline in academic behavior, so it’s important to determine any underlying issue. It’s important to communicate with them and their teachers to find out more about any changes at school. Encouraging your child’s interest at school can be challenging, here are a few more early parenting tips to help you.

Listening to devices at a high volume

It’s common for older children to want to listen to their devices at a loud volume but this is not good for their hearing health. If your child has difficulty following at a safe volume this could be a sign of a hearing issue. Whether this is caused by a blockage due to an ear infection, or a more permanent form of hearing loss, it’s advisable to have their hearing tested.

Mispronunciation of certain words

Hearing problems can be reflected in their speech development so if your child is mispronouncing words at an older age this could be related. Take them for a hearing test and consider visiting a speech therapist if their hearing is fine. They will help you teach correct pronunciation with a few tips and tricks at home as well.

Inability to identify origin of sounds

Inability to identify where sounds are coming from could be a sign your child needs a hearing test. Part of a hearing test is identifying sounds so this should help determine whether the issue is related to a hearing problem. If you would like further information about what different types of hearing tests entail, here are some common hearing test faqs with answers.

Not responding when their name is called

If your child isn’t responding to their name being called this may be a sign it’s time to see a specialist. Often children will ignore someone calling their name but it’s possible to find out whether this is due to behavioral issues or a hearing related problem. If it appears as though your child hasn’t heard their name being called it’s a good idea to find out why. If you’re at all concerned about your child’s hearing it’s recommended to take them to have a hearing test. This will help give you peace of mind and get to the root of the problem.