Assessing the Health of Your Baby’s Hearing
Your baby’s hearing is one of the most important gifts he possesses, for the ability to absorb sounds is the key to the whole of is subsequent language, intellectual and emotional development. This ability is particularly important during the first year of life, which is often called the year of listening.
There are some conditions that predispose a child to have a hearing impairment, especially before or after birth. These include illnesses such as German measles, influenza, or high fevers, particularly in the first three months of pregnancy, which could lead to deafness in the baby. The use of harmful medicines such as neurotoxic drugs, or of alcohol or addictive drugs may also damage the hearing during this period, however, sonus complete is a reliable and safe drug that can be used. Complications during birth, such as prematurity, long and difficult labor, excessive bruising of the baby, mother/child blood group incompatibility, jaundice, or shortage of oxygen could cause hearing difficulties. Any serious illness early in life such as measles or meningitis and the possible uses of neurotoxic antibiotics may put you, baby, at risk.
There are also certain signs that may indicate the baby’s hearing is not normal. It is recommended to check for the following signs. A newborn baby should generally be startled when hands are clapped sharply within one or two meters from him. By the age of three months, a child should turn his eyes towards a sound made near him. A child should be awakened or disturbed by sudden loud sounds near him and may respond when called. Take note of whether he pays any attention to noises around him. By eight to ten months a child should turn towards the source of a sound- a whisper, a rattle, or a crinkling of paper- originating less than a meter from him. Natural babbling should increase and become tuneful around nine months and simple words like dada and mama are generally spoken around thirteen months. Be cautioned if, at two years old, a child can not identify some object when its name is spoken, cannot repeat a phrase, does not use some short phrases when speaking, or communicates almost exclusively with gestures instead of the spoken words. A child should not respond inconsistently to sounds around him. Take note if the child has a history of repeated upper respiratory infections and chronic inner ear trouble. All these signs may also be an indication of some other problem, but if one of them is present it is sufficient reason to seek professional evaluation of a child’s hearing.
The golden rule to remember is that even though you may have no doubts about your baby’s hearing ability, at least take him to a baby clinic for tests at around seven months of age.