Hearing Loss: Its Impact On Schoolwork

If your child’s grades have been slipping, it may be because they’re having trouble hearing what’s going on around them. When a child can’t hear what’s being said in class, they may struggle academically. Here’s everything you should know about hearing loss and schoolwork.

HOW HEARING AND LEARNING ARE CONNECTED
Hearing has a profound impact on a child’s development. In fact, even mild hearing loss can cause delays in speech and language development. As they get older, their hearing plays a big part in how they learn. This is especially true when they get to school age, because most classrooms are set up for hearing children.

Children with mild to moderate hearing loss are at risk for lagging behind their hearing peers and may even be misdiagnosed as having a learning disability. However, with proper diagnosis and treatment, children with hearing loss can perform as well in school as anyone else.

WHY KIDS WHO CAN’T HEAR ARE AT A LOSS
Because a large part of teaching is done orally, a child with hearing loss won’t understand much of what’s going on in class. This is especially true when they’re paired with teachers who don’t know how to recognize hearing loss or who don’t know how to adapt their teaching methods.

A child with mild to moderate hearing loss may not understand what a teacher is saying when their back is turned to the class or when faced with an unfamiliar accent. Furthermore, many subjects that involve language concepts may be more difficult for a child with hearing loss to grasp.

SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS IN CHILDREN
If your child shows any of the following signs of hearing loss, bring them to an audiologist for a hearing test:

• Difficulty understanding questions or assignments
• Not answering direct questions
• Difficulty pronouncing simple words
• Language or speech delays
• Needing to watch a person’s face intently in order to understand what they’re saying
• Speaking loudly when unnecessary
• Chronic ear pain

ARE YOU WORRIED THAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS A HEARING AID?
If you think your child has mild to moderate hearing loss, Soundwave Hearing Care can help. Our expert audiologists can perform a simple pediatric hearing test. If they determine that there is hearing loss, they can prescribe hearing aids that will help your child hear what’s going on around them and succeed academically.

We help people all over Alberta at our locations in Calgary, Grande Prairie, High River and Lethbridge. Call the location closest to you to make an appointment.