1. What is the earliest age at which a child's hearing can be tested?

A child's hearing can be tested soon after the birth.

2. How can we suspect hearing loss in children?

Depending upon the type and severity of hearing loss, any of the following symptoms may be seen in a child with hearing loss.

• developmental milestones of auditory and speech behaviors are absent/delayed

• some speech sounds may not be pronounced correctly, particularly /sa/, /sha/, /fa/, etc

• inconsistent response to sound

• understanding speech better when facing the speaker

• not attentive in class

• asking for repetitions

• complaining of pain / discharge / ringing sound in the ear

• keeping the television on at a louder volume

• using inappropriate loudness of voice

3. Will my child with hearing loss start hearing and speaking as soon as he is fitted with an appropriate hearing aid?

No. It is only with intensive and long-term training that the child will develop auditory, speech and language skills.

4. My husband and I are cousins. Is there a chance that our child will be born with hearing loss?

Consanguinity (marriage among blood relatives) has been identified as one of the causes for congenital hearing loss. However, there is no method yet to predict whether a child born of a consanguineous marriage will have hearing loss. Genetic counseling services are available in some centers, which might provide you with additional information.