.jpg)
How are your kids doing in school? Have they had any tests? Are they getting good scores? If not, it could be related to their hearing. Some research shows one in every 100 children have a hearing problem. This full story from CNN is below:
Experts say when a child suffers from hearing problems, it can affect him or her academically and socially.
Before five-year-old Morgan Joseph heads off to kindergarten she has an important test to pass: a hearing test. She failed an initial exam at her pediatrician's office and was referred to audiologist Laura Castel. Castel said, "We will look at -- not only look at the ear itself, but we'll look at different components like the middle ear or the inner ear and how the child is responding to speech and different tones."
Castel recommends school-age children have their hearing checked at least once a year. In the school-age population, we're now starting to find two out of every 100 children have hearing loss. That could be an increase with the popularity of our personal stereo systems. Castel says loud noises, especially from mp3 players, can damage a child's hearing. Castel said, "If you can hear the music while they're wearing the headphones, that volume is too high."
It turns out that Morgan's hearing is fine --just what her mother was hoping to hear. She said,"And so I started panicking, thinking that there was something wrong. Instead, Morgan got an A on her first big test."
I can't remember the last time my children had their hearing test. I know it isn't every year. I will be asking about hearing tests the next time they are at the doctor. How about you? Do your kids get their hearing tested on an annual basis?
-NewsAnchorMom Jen
Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.
