The First Step For Babies With Hearing Loss
Every clinic and centre for newborn screening test in Chennai emphasises that an early assessment of hearing loss can make an immense impact on the future of children. The two tests, done to detect hearing issues, take at the most ten minutes. They are painless. They can be conducted while the infant is sleeping or simply lying still. Either one can be used or both. When the process is so easy and quick, then there is no reason for not getting them done. Let’s say as informed parents you are done with the newborn hearing tests. What comes after them?
If a child passes the hearing screening, then they are good to go. But if for any reason a baby does not pass it at birth, take a moment and breathe. Failing the test does not mandatorily mean that the baby has hearing loss. Most babies who do not pass the test at birth end up having no hearing loss, at all. The first step at this point should be to do a thorough medical and hearing evaluation. Further testing is vital. This step should be taken as soon as it is possible for the infant and the parents. Most doctors advise that the tests should happen before the child is 3 months old.
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The Second Step After An Infant Hearing Screening
The second step after further testing is to talk to the infant’s doctor about the results. If the hearing is normal, the process ends. But if the infant suffers from hearing loss, the child should be seen by a hearing specialist – an audiologist. The newborn should also be checked by a paediatric eye doctor and an ENT doctor. The three specialists will be able to pinpoint the type of hearing loss the neonatal suffers from by conducting special hearing tests. These tests will also show the degree of loss the newborn has.
The eye doctor will be able to detect if the child suffers from vision issues too. For some young-ones the reason for hearing loss could be hereditary, the determination of which would require a geneticist. The next step is to find a solution to the hearing loss. In some cases, a surgery can greatly improve hearing. In cases where the loss is permanent, speech and language services along with hearing aids can help a lot.
The Last Step After A Newborn Hearing Test Is Taken
The very end of the process is acceptance and support. No matter the kind of technology or technique parents might choose to help their child, acceptance of the loss is necessary. The earlier families and friends accept that the newborn needs help, the faster the implementation of solution is and better the results. A wall of support from the parents to the child and from the medical staff to the parents has shown a high degree of success. This help, assistance and aid can make for a self-confident child with stronger learning and speech skills.
