All About Bluetooth Hearing Aids
Do you remember the hearing aids your parents or grandparents used to
Hearing Loss Doesn’t Hold Teen Back from Music Aspirations
An Inspirational Story of an Aspirational Musician
Anastasia Mary Chieng is a 13-year-old musician from Singapore, who is a multi-instrumentalist – with a hearing loss in her right year.
“Even though I am disadvantaged,” says Anastasia, “I am not allowing my disabilities to define who I am.”
Anastasia was diagnosed with a profound hearing loss in her right ear at birth, but did not let that stop her from becoming passionate about music at age 4. In addition to her hearing loss, Anastasia also has a rare heart condition, in which her two main arteries are reversed. For this condition, Anastasia has been receiving surgery since infanthood.
As an aspiring drummer, violinist, and electone player, Anastasia attends the St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School in Singapore. In January 2017, she won one of the four NatSteel-Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) Youth Aspirations Awards in Singapore. As an award-winner, Anastasia received $5,000 to encourage her to develop her talents. With this award money, Anastasia plans to buy a new drum set, an amplifier, and take a drumming exam.
Anastasia’s story reminds us of two things: that hearing loss affects the young, although it tends to be relegated as a condition for the elderly; and that even with a hearing loss, we can pursue our passions.
Prevalence of Hearing Loss in Children and Teens
While hearing loss has long been associated with aging, there is a significant number of young people in the US and around the world who experience hearing loss. With the ubiquity of electronic technology and earbuds, the World Health Organization has estimated rising numbers in hearing loss among populations under the age of 18.
For people between the ages of 12 and 35, researchers found that 30% are more likely to experience hearing loss than their counterparts in the 1980s and 1990s. The World Health Organization has also found that 1.1 billion teenagers globally are at risk for hearing loss.
At the same time, hearing loss may appear at birth in congenital conditions. Most infants are tested after birth for their hearing abilities. Identifying and treating hearing loss early on is crucial to childhood development.
Benefits of Treating Hearing Loss in Young People
The sense of hearing plays a critical role in the social development and language acquisition of young people. Annual hearing tests are recommended to closely monitor hearing abilities in order to provide treatment as soon as possible.
By treating hearing loss in young people, there is a greater chance of success in academics, future vocational choices, and social development. Hearing loss is most commonly treated with hearing aids.
How to Identify Hearing Loss in Your Child
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are milestones that babies and children should reach by certain ages (from 2 months to 5 years). You will find the milestones here.
With children, signs of hearing loss include delayed speech, unclear speech, not following directions (which is often times mistaken for a child ignoring you or not paying attention), saying “What?” and turning up volumes too high on devices and the TV.
Shortly after birth, infants are given a hearing test. In the first few weeks, you may request a hearing screening if one wasn’t given. For very young infants and babies, signs of hearing loss include not being startled by loud sounds or not turning to a source of sound. At around 12 months, babies should turn their heads when you call their names and say simple words, like “mama” or “papa.”
If You Believe Your Child Has a Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is an invisible condition, so it can be difficult to identify, especially in young children. Young children tend to develop at different rates, so applying general standards and benchmarks are not always accurate.
If you suspect that your child has a hearing loss, the first step is to schedule a hearing test. Comprehensive hearing tests are simple and painless, and will immediately identify if a hearing loss is present. It is crucial to childhood development to treat hearing loss as soon as possible. Hearing is an important part of developing social and communication skills, and by leaving hearing loss untreated, your child could experience a number of challenges academically, emotionally, and socially.
