Taking Your Child to the Audiologist

Do you suspect your child has hearing loss? If so, fear not; an audiologist can help diagnose your child’s type and degree of hearing loss.

When visiting an audiologist, it is important to arm yourself with questions in order to get the most out of your child’s appointment.  After all, you’ll be learning a lot of new information, so having prepared questions can help.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest the following questions to help parents best understand their child’s hearing loss.

Questions about your child’s hearing loss

1. What type of hearing loss does my child have? Make sure to understand any unfamiliar terms such as sensorineural, conductive, mixed, auditory neuropathy and degree of hearing loss.
2. Will it go away? Or is the hearing loss permanent? Will my child need follow up tests or appointments?
3. What will happen to my child’s hearing loss over time?
4. Are both of my child’s ears equally affected?
5. What type of developmental problems could my child have as a results of his or her hearing loss?
6. What caused my child’s hearing loss?
7. Can you explain what the audiogram means?
8. May I have a copy of the hearing test results?

Questions about hearing aids and cochlear implants

1. Does my child need a hearing aid? What options are available? Are hearing aids or devices needed for both years?
2. How much do hearing aids cost? Does insurance cover them?
3. How can I tell if the hearing aids are working properly?
4. Should my child follow a schedule for wearing the devices?
5. Can or should my child wear hearing aids while participating in sports?
6. What should I do if we lost my child’s hearing aids?
7. How can I help my reluctant child wear his/her hearing aids?
8. How often do hearing aids need to be adjusted and fitted?
9. How often will my child need new hearing aids?
10. What parts of the hearing aids need constant replacement?
11. What is the difference between hearing aids and a cochlear implant?
12. Why should we consider a cochlear implant for my child?

Taking your child to an audiologist can feel stressful, but if you do a little preparation before your appointment you’ll find you feel more at ease and confident in the process. Hearing is an important part of your child’s development, so don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with an audiologist in your area as soon as possible.