Preventing Hearing Loss from the Crib
Your infant’s ears are brand new and just acclimating to the world of sound around him. Babies cannot tell you if they are having trouble hearing, and they don’t know what is right or wrong as far as sound goes, so pay attention to queues he or she may give you to ensure their hearing gets a chance to develop properly.
Ear infections, and the resulting fluid build up, are a major cause of early issues with hearing. If your baby is pulling at his hears, cranky and not as responsive to loud noises as you think he should be, see a pediatrician. Left alone, fluid build up can cause delays in speech and hearing.
Try and keep track of your child’s language development as a way to gauge hearing ability. If, by around 12 – 15 months, they are not making some recognizable sounds, like “mom” or “dad” you need to have their ears tested. Issues detected at an early age can often be treated and circumvent hearing loss later in life.
Also, use common sense when exposing your baby to new environments. Don’t take an infant to a concert, even at an outdoor arena, and do not allow you baby near loud noises, like a firing range or racetrack.