Hearing Loss in Children, Age 4 Years and Older

Overview

By the age of 4, your child may tell you they are having trouble hearing or understanding others. You can ask your child questions about their hearing.

You can also watch your child's behavior to check for hearing loss. If you notice a change, your child might have hearing loss. Does your child:

• Follow complicated instructions, such as "Take your coat to your bedroom and bring a book to read"?
• Respond to sounds appropriately, such as a telephone ringing, television sounds, or knocking at the door?

Your child's teacher may notice behavior that would mean your child is not hearing well, such as talking in a loud voice or not following instructions.