Hearing loss is most likely to have profound consequences for normal speech and language development when it occurs during infancy and toddler years. Treatment of a child’s hearing condition by 6 months of age is crucial to avoid these deficits.

Hearing loss affects young children in four ways:

• Delays development of speech and language skills
  
• Causes learning problems that may result in reduced academic performance
  
• Leads to social isolation and poor self-esteem
  
• Results in impairment that may affect vocational choices later in life

Even a temporary hearing loss can cause long-term damage to a child’s ability to speak and use language, especially in infancy and early childhood. For this reason, it is crucial that parents have their children’s hearing tested regularly, and that parents watch for signs of hearing loss in their children.

As children grow older, they continue to face potential threats to their hearing. For example, middle ear infections (otitis media) are the primary source of conductive hearing loss in children. They occur when colds and influenza or allergies cause a buildup of fluid in the middle ear that leads to the growth of bacteria. Children may also damage their hearing by inserting objects such as cotton swabs or pencils into the ear and damaging the eardrum.