Minor Hearing Loss Can Mean Major School Problems

By Christina Elston

Children with minor hearing impairments – such as hearing loss in one ear, or the inability to hear high-pitched sounds – can be up to 10 times more likely to have trouble in school, or even fail a grade, than children with normal hearing, according to new research.


The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) presented those findings at its annual convention in November.



These types of hearing loss often go undetected, because the children appear to hear normally. However, in a classroom environment the problems can lead to difficulty hearing the teacher and poor academic performance.



Linda Vaughan, director of audiology practice management at ASHA, recommends asking your child’s teacher the following questions if you are concerned about your child’s hearing:



• Does my child seem to not be following instructions, particularly oral instructions?



• Are there particular classroom situations that he or she seems to fall apart in?



• Does he or she become inattentive when there is background noise?



• Do you have to repeat and raise your voice to get her or his attention?



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