Questions to ask when your child has been tested
and has hearing loss

  • Medical tests—such as vision; ear, nose, and throat (ENT); and genetics—may be recommended to find the cause of your child’s hearing loss and to make sure there are no other health concerns.
  • If your child is under 3 years of age, you should be referred to the state Early Intervention (Part C) program. You may request this referral, if your audiologist or physician does not make it, or you may contact your state’s Part C Coordinator yourself.
  • If your child is 3 years of age or older, he or she may be eligible for services through the public school system.

  • How much hearing loss does my child have (i.e., What sounds can my child hear and what will he or she not be able to hear?)?
  • What do the test results mean? Please explain any new words (e.g., sensorineural, conductive, mixed, mild, moderate, severe, auditory neuropathy, etc.) in a way that I can understand.
  • Is the hearing loss permanent?
  • Is the hearing loss treatable?
  • Can you tell me if my child’s hearing loss will change or get worse?
  • Do both ears have the same hearing loss?
  • How do I describe the hearing test result to my family and friends?
  • How often should my child’s hearing be tested?

  • You should receive written information so you can learn about your child’s hearing loss, hearing aids, and the decisions you will need to make to help your child develop communication and language skills.
  • You should receive written information about parent support organizations.

  • Hearing is critical to development of speech and language (whether spoken or signed), communication, and learning.
  • The earlier the hearing loss is identified and intervention begins, the better the communication and language outcomes will be for the child.

  • Half of all hearing loss in children is caused by genetic (hereditary) factors.
  • 25% of hearing loss is caused by non-genetic factors, such as illness.
  • In another 25% of hearing loss, the cause is never found.
  • If you do not know the cause of your child’s hearing loss, genetic counseling can be helpful. You can find out if your child might have additional medical needs and/or if you are likely to have other children with hearing loss.

  • The results should be sent to
    • your child’s doctor
    • the state’s newborn hearing screening program (Early Hearing Detection and Intervention or EHDI)
    • with your permission, to your state’s Early Intervention (Part C) or preschool/school-age (Part B) program.
  • You may be asked to sign a release form so that your child’s test results can be shared.
  • Please remind the audiologist to share the results with your child’s doctor, even if the results indicate normal hearing.
  • Always ask for a copy of your child’s hearing test results and store them carefully in a file or binder. This is helpful information for you and your child’s intervention team.
  • Once your child is in school, this information will assist your child’s educational team.