Hearing underpins speech, language and learning. Here are the signs worth noticing at each age, and the calm next steps to take.
Hearing difficulties in children are often missed because they can be mild, fluctuating or one-sided. A child with glue ear after repeated colds may hear well one week and poorly the next. Because hearing is the foundation of spoken language, checking it early is always worthwhile.
Signs by age
- Babies: no startle to loud sounds, no calming to your voice, no turning towards sound by six months, babble that reduces after six to nine months.
- Toddlers: does not respond to their name, no clear words by 18 months, watches faces intently for clues, unusually loud or quiet speech.
- Preschoolers: frequently says 'what?', turns the television up, mishears similar words, speech unclear to unfamiliar listeners.
- School age: struggles in noisy classrooms, appears inattentive or tired at the end of the day, falls behind in reading.
Common causes worth knowing
- Glue ear — fluid behind the eardrum after colds or ear infections; very common and often temporary.
- Ear infections, especially when they recur.
- Wax build-up.
- Congenital hearing loss, which may be present from birth even if a baby seems responsive.
What to do next
- Speak to your paediatrician or clinic and request a hearing assessment — do not wait to 'see how it goes'.
- Ask for a formal test rather than an informal check; children learn to compensate with visual cues.
- In the meantime, get your child's attention before speaking, face them directly and reduce background noise.
- Keep a simple note of what you notice and when — it helps the clinician a great deal.
Speechie Ad works in both speech and language therapy and hearing rehabilitation, so concerns about listening and talking can be considered together.
Still wondering?
If anything here sounds familiar, the next step is simple. Complete our free Communication & Language Milestone Screener for age-based guidance in about five minutes, or book an assessment if your concerns remain. Acting early is never wasted — and you will never be told you worried too soon.
Next step
Complete the free Communication & Language Milestone Screener for age-based guidance, or book an assessment if your concerns remain.