If you think a hearing loss may be present the first step is to ask your medical practitioner to refer your child for an audiological assessment. This assessment will determine whether a hearing loss exists and to what degree. No child is too young to receive a thorough hearing evaluation. Today’s technology even allows newborns to be tested for hearing loss. While simple hearing screenings may be conducted by nurses or trained volunteers, a complete assessment of hearing in a child should only be completed by an audiologist.

The purpose of the audiological evaluation is to determine if a hearing loss exists, to what degree, and to help discover what type. Test results are recorded on an audiogram. If the results of the tests show that your child has a hearing loss, remember that your child is living in an age where technology ensures that children with hearing loss can grow up to lead full and successful lives.