When Should Your Child Have a Pediatric Hearing Test?

At Universal Pediatrics, we understand that your child’s hearing is essential to their speech, language, and overall cognitive development. Ensuring your child’s hearing health is an integral part of our comprehensive pediatric care services, beginning right after birth and continuing throughout their childhood.

Typically, newborns undergo an initial hearing screening shortly after birth, often before leaving the hospital or within their first month of life. Early detection of hearing issues significantly improves outcomes by allowing timely intervention and support, which aligns with our commitment to proactive, preventative pediatric care.

If your child passes their initial newborn hearing screening, our pediatricians at Universal Pediatrics will continue to monitor their hearing during routine wellness visits, recommending follow-up screenings as appropriate. Even after passing the initial screening, we encourage parents to watch for signs of potential hearing difficulties, such as delayed speech, frequent ear infections, difficulty responding to sounds, or trouble understanding speech.

If your child did not have a newborn hearing screening, or if you have any concerns about their hearing, our pediatric team recommends scheduling an evaluation as soon as possible—ideally within the first three months of life. Prompt identification of hearing loss enhances the effectiveness of available treatments and interventions.

Our pediatricians collaborate closely with pediatric audiologists to provide personalized guidance tailored to your child’s individual health history, developmental milestones, and potential risk factors. We’re here to support your child’s growth and development every step of the way.

At Universal Pediatrics, we understand that monitoring your child’s hearing health is a crucial part of their overall well-being and development. Knowing how to recognize the signs that your child may need a hearing screening can help ensure early intervention and optimal outcomes.

If your child frequently fails to respond when you call their name or seems unresponsive to everyday sounds at home, school, or in social environments, it could signal hearing difficulties. You may also notice that your child regularly asks you or others to repeat themselves or frequently misunderstands instructions or conversations.

Difficulty following directions, especially in noisy or busy environments, can also be an indication of hearing challenges. Pay attention if your child tends to increase the volume on the television, tablet, or music louder than usual. Additionally, delayed or unclear speech and language development can be related to hearing loss, as hearing directly impacts a child’s ability to understand speech and communicate effectively.

For younger children and infants, look for signs like a lack of startle response to loud noises or failure to turn toward familiar voices or sounds. Older children who struggle with hearing might appear inattentive or frustrated in classrooms or group settings, often withdrawing from social interactions or showing noticeable frustration during communication.

At Universal Pediatrics, we understand the importance of addressing your child’s hearing concerns promptly and comprehensively. If your child does not pass a hearing test, our dedicated pediatric team will guide you through every step to ensure optimal pediatric care and support.

Initially, we may recommend repeating the hearing test, as temporary factors such as illness, earwax buildup, fluid in the ears, or distractions during testing can sometimes affect the accuracy of results. Our pediatricians will closely monitor your child’s condition and provide clear communication regarding the next steps.

If retesting confirms a hearing issue, our team will promptly refer your child to a specialized pediatric audiologist or an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist for further evaluation. These experts will identify the precise nature and severity of your child’s hearing concern and establish whether it’s temporary (for example, due to ear infections or fluid behind the eardrum) or permanent (such as congenital hearing loss or auditory nerve issues).

Early intervention is essential, as hearing difficulties can significantly impact your child’s speech, language development, academic success, and social interactions. We work closely with families to develop personalized treatment plans, which may include medical management, surgical intervention, hearing aids, or speech therapy. Additionally, we can refer your family to early intervention programs and specialized therapists who can help your child build communication skills and minimize potential developmental delays.

Throughout your child’s journey, our compassionate pediatric team will maintain open communication with you, coordinate all necessary appointments and treatments, and connect you with helpful community resources and support. At Universal Pediatrics, your child’s health, development, and well-being are always our highest priorities.

At Universal Pediatrics, we understand that evaluating hearing in infants and children requires specialized approaches tailored to each child’s unique developmental stage, communication abilities, and comfort level. Our pediatric urgent care audiologists utilize child-friendly techniques and advanced equipment designed specifically to accommodate young patients, ensuring accurate and comfortable assessments.

For our youngest patients, such as infants and toddlers who cannot yet reliably respond verbally or follow instructions, we rely on objective testing methods. These include otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), which measure the tiny sounds emitted by the inner ear in response to auditory stimuli, and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests, which record electrical activity within the auditory nerve and brainstem pathways when sounds are detected. Both methods are non-invasive, painless, and can even be performed comfortably while your child sleeps.

As your child grows and becomes more interactive, we transition to playful and engaging methods tailored to their age and interests. Visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) is used to test toddlers who can respond by turning toward a sound paired with an appealing visual reward like a toy or flashing lights. For preschool-aged children, we utilize conditioned play audiometry (CPA), where your child performs a fun, interactive task—such as placing a block in a bucket—every time they hear a sound. These playful tests keep young patients engaged and comfortable throughout the evaluation.

In contrast, adult hearing tests typically involve straightforward audiometric procedures, such as raising a hand or pressing a button upon hearing tones or speech stimuli. While adults can easily follow directions and cooperate, young children require the specialized, engaging techniques we employ at Universal Pediatrics, ensuring accurate results and a stress-free experience.

At Universal Healthcare Services Inc., we prioritize your child’s hearing health with expert, gentle pediatric hearing tests tailored to each age and need. Our dedicated team is committed to early detection and support to help your child thrive. For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at Niles Children’s Clinic, Universal Pediatrics, and Wible Family Medicine in Bakersfield and Fresno, CA. We serve patients from Bakersfield CA, Maltha CA, Kayandee CA, Fresno CA, Burness CA, Clovis CA, Panama CA, Alameda CA, and surrounding areas.