Have you ever wondered about your child's hearing? Parents or other family members are most often the first to recognize a child's hearing difficulties. Since hearing is one of the primary modalities by which young children acquire new information, any suspicion of a hearing loss in your child warrants attention.
The first four years of your child's life are critical in terms of developing speech and language skills that will last a lifetime. Any degree of hearing impairment can be handicapping since hearing loss can negatively impact the acquisition and perception of speech and language, academic achievement, social and emotional development, and self-esteem. Therefore, it is essential to diagnose and treat childhood hearing problems as early as possible.
How do children hear?
The ear is divided into three parts: the external, middle, and inner ear. The external ear is composed of the external auditory canal, the pinna, and the outer surface of the eardrum (or the tympanic membrane). The middle ear is made up of the tympanic membrane and three small bones, the malleus, incus and stapes. These tiny bones are the smallest bones in the body. The inner ear is composed of the cochlea, which controls hearing, and the vestibular apparatus, which controls balance and equilibrium.
