Late Onset Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can happen at any time during life… from before birth to adulthood…
Late Onset Hearing Loss (LOHL) is when a child develops a hearing loss sometime after birth but before entering kindergarten. Your child may pass his/her hearing screening at birth, and then develops hearing loss later in life. It is important for your child to continue receiving hearing screenings annually after their birth through their preschool years. This will aid in early detection and allow for early intervention for late onset hearing loss.
Hearing plays a vital and often subtle role in the early development of children. Children learn speech and language from listening to others around them. If a hearing loss exists, a child may not be able to receive optimal benefit from spoken language during this period of growth, and as a result, delays in speech and language may occur. Many hearing problems in children are minimal, yet developmentally significant. It is important that even the slightest hearing loss be identified so that appropriate developmental management can be provided. Many hearing losses are temporary and may be successfully treated with medical attention. Be sure to have your child’s hearing screened at birth and then annually through his/her preschool years. To schedule a hearing screening, contact your child’s Primary Care Physician or your local Child Development Center
Download Late Onset Hearing Loss Screening Procedures (PDF)
