Hearing loss

The diagnosis

The diagnosis process is there to confirm or dismiss your suspicions regarding your child’s hearing. Following several tests or perhaps several appointments, your audiologist or physician will provide you with the results of your child’s tests and a diagnosis.

You will be told of the type of hearing loss (conductive, sensorineural or mixed), degree of hearing loss (mild to profound) and whether one or both ears are affected. A prognosis, describing the expected change in the hearing loss over time should also be provided.

Information is important

Regardless of the amount of information you may be given, your audiologist or physician will gladly supplement this by providing you with facts about hearing loss. Further discussion will focus on essential information which will assist you in deciding the best course of action in order to increase your child’s quality of life.

Typical reactions

Although you may have suspected your child’s hearing loss, its confirmation typically comes as a shock. Some parents may blame themselves and experience feelings of despair.

Others may deny or be unable to come to terms with the impairment. These reactions are quite normal. A certain amount of healing and acceptance must therefore occur to prepare for the times ahead.
Many of these emotions may arise from unanswered questions. Often, the answers to these questions and awareness of the solutions available can be a source of great comfort.
Therefore, talk about it to anyone whom you may feel will shed some light on the subject or simply be there to listen to your concerns. Such questions as "Will my child’s life be hampered by the hearing loss?", "Will my child speak normally?" are quite typical.

Remember that you are not alone

There are vast resources available to you and your child.

You may wish to talk to your audiologist, physician, other parents or educators or other hearing impaired children, or even individuals who themselves were diagnosed with hearing loss during childhood.
Not only can these people help to answer your questions and address your concerns, but their stories may also help give you a positive perspective on the entire matter.
Ask your hearing healthcare professional to direct you to organisations for hearing impaired people in your area.
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