The ear is one of the senses that are more developed when we are born. In fact, the baby already recognizes the voice of his mother from the womb. At first, the ear perceives acute sounds better than bass. But ... how do you know if your hearing is good?
Years ago the only clue that could make one suspect that the baby was not hearing well was the zero response to certain sounds or a delay in speech. But nowadays, most babies are already tested in maternity to detect hearing loss.
And is that early detection is essential to establish a treatment when before. If it is treated before two years of life, when the child's neuronal plasticity is greater, he will have an audition of normal characteristics. But nevertheless, if a child does not hear well he will not learn to speak well and this will influence all aspects of its development.
Hearing tests in maternity
They are performed in all public maternity homes and in most private ones, the day after the baby is born. They are fast and painless. It is part of the 'Early Hearing Loss Detection Program' initiative of 2003, established by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Autonomous Communities.
Evoked potentials. It is a very reliable test. The ENT stimulates the baby's auditory pathway and records the waves it emits. If it picks up waves it means that the brain has interpreted the sound that enters through the ear. Therefore, the newborn has hearing.
Otoemisores. A probe is placed in the ear canal that records the spontaneous or caused emission of sound stimuli. If there is a record it means that the baby hears, between 80 and 90 percent of cases. The same percentage of doubt is due to certain exceptions, such as a disease called auditory neuropathy and that can cause the baby to emit otoemissions and not hear.
If no auditory response is detected with any of these tests, the ENT will repeat that of evoked potentials, but more comprehensively, to ensure that the baby responds to different frequencies and intensities.
Home signs
Although the neonatal tests have been negative, it is advisable for parents to be aware of certain signs that could betray a lack of hearing:
- During the first weeks of life, the newborn should wake up and open his hands a lot to loud sounds, such as the alarm of an alarm clock or a slap.
- At two months He will turn his head towards a rattle that we make sound. And at 4 months it will be the same who grabs those objects to see how they sound over and over again.
- Between four and six months, we can play a toy that imitates, for example, the sounds of animals. If he laughs, waves his hands or looks surprised, he hears well. He will also enjoy blowing the crib and chair toys and never tire of hearing them.
- From six months, anything goes. We must verify that he recognizes the melodies of popular songs as "Five Little Wolf" and that he moves his hands when we sing them.
You will also enjoy playing your own musical instruments such as drum or piano. But he doesn't need much sophistication: hitting a spoon or a small saucepan will be an equally rewarding experience for him. If you laugh and want to repeat, no problem.
- From nine months to a year. He is already able to hear softer sounds, so when we speak softly, he must turn to where we are. In addition, you must recognize your own name and respond when called.
If parents perceive that they do not respond to these sound stimuli, it is advisable to consult with an ENT. It may be a partial hearing problem that is resolved with proper treatment.
Dr. Gracia Aranguez Moreno, OTL Coordinator of the Early Hearing Loss Detection Program of the Gregorio Marañón Hospital in Madrid, and our advisor on the subject, says that “Child deafness is corrected in 100 percent of cases if the baby is treated before the age of two. Its development and learning will be the same as that of a normal-hearing child ”.
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