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To identify if the baby is not listening correctly, parents, family members or kindergarten teachers should be on the lookout for some warning signs, which include:
Newborn up to 3 months old
- It does not react to loud sounds, such as an object falling close by or a truck passing in front of the house;
- He does not recognize his parents' voice and, therefore, is no longer calm when his parents speak to him;
- Do not wake up when you speak loudly close, especially when there was silence in the room.
Baby between 3 and 8 months old
- It does not look towards the sounds, when the television is turned on, for example;
- It does not make what kind of sound with the mouth;
- Do not use toys that make more noise, such as rattle or toys with sounds;
- He does not change his behavior or expression when he says 'no' or gives an order with his voice.
Baby between 9 and 12 months old
- Does not react when saying baby's name;
- He does not respond to music, dancing or trying to sing;
- It does not say words simple expressions like 'ma-ma' or 'da-da';
- It does not recognize words for simple objects like 'shoe' or 'car'.
It is important to identify hearing problems in the baby in the first 6 months of life, because the sooner the problem is diagnosed, the sooner treatment can be started and, thus, avoid developmental problems, especially in the child's speech and social skills .
Generally, the baby's ability to hear is evaluated in the maternity ward with a deafness test, called an ear exam, which helps the doctor to check the baby's hearing and to detect some degree of deafness early. See how it is done: Ear test.
However, the baby's hearing may be perfect after birth, but decrease until a few months after birth, due to ear injuries or infections, such as chicken pox, mononucleosis or meningitis, for example. So, parents should be on the lookout for other signs that may indicate that their baby has trouble hearing.
What to do to not damage the baby's hearing
Although most cases of infant deafness cannot be prevented, as it is caused by genetic changes, there are other cases, especially of hearing loss after birth, that can be avoided. So some important tips include:
- Avoid inserting objects into the baby's ear, even cotton swabs, as they can cause injuries inside the ear;
- Be aware of signs of ear infection or flu, such as a foul smell in the ear, fever, runny nose or refusal to eat, for example;
- Avoid exposing your baby to loud sounds, especially for a long time.
In addition, it is very important to give all vaccines under the National Vaccination Program, to prevent the development of infections, such as chicken pox or meningitis, which can cause deafness.
See what treatments are used to treat childhood deafness at:
- Discover the main treatments for childhood deafness