Hearing and cerebral palsy in babies and young children
Hearing is important for communication, language development, learning and participation. Some children with cerebral palsy (CP) may also have hearing loss.
CP and hearing loss may share some risk factors or causes, such as premature birth, complications around birth, infections or genetic conditions. Hearing loss may be present from birth or develop later.
All Australian states and territories offer newborn hearing screening. This is usually done while your baby is settled or asleep and is often completed before your baby leaves hospital.
Newborn hearing screening aims to:
- screen babies’ hearing early in life
- arrange further assessment with an audiologist if the screening suggests a possible hearing issue
- start early intervention for babies with confirmed hearing loss.
A newborn hearing screen checks your baby’s hearing at that time. Hearing can change or hearing loss can develop later, so it is important to continue monitoring how your child responds to sounds and develops communication skills.
Signs that your child may need a hearing assessment can include:
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not responding to voices or everyday sounds
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not reacting to loud sounds
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changes or delays in babbling, speech or communication
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seeming to hear some sounds but not others
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needing sounds to be louder than expected
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frequent ear infections or other ear problems.
If you have concerns about your child’s hearing, speech, language or communication, talk to your GP, maternal and child health nurse, paediatrician or healthcare team. They may refer your child to an audiologist for a hearing assessment.
There are different types of hearing loss.
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Conductive hearing loss happens when sound does not travel effectively through the outer or middle ear. Causes can include ear wax, middle-ear infection or fluid behind the eardrum. Some conductive hearing loss may be temporary or treatable.
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Sensorineural hearing loss happens when there is a problem with the inner ear or hearing nerve. It is usually permanent and may be mild, moderate, severe or profound.
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Mixed hearing loss includes both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss.
Some hearing problems are temporary or treatable, while others are permanent and may require ongoing hearing and communication support. Depending on your child’s needs, support may include regular hearing checks, hearing devices, communication support or other medical or allied health care.
As your child grows, regular review is important if you notice changes in how they respond to sounds, communicate or learn.
