Hearing loss can affect children in several areas, including communication and learning. The good news is there are many ways to treat hearing loss in children. The best approach to helping your child can depend on the cause and type of hearing loss. At Carolina Hearing Institute in Columbia, Lugoff, and Sumter SC, hearing loss in children is treated by our experienced audiologists, Dr. Kathryn McGee, Dr. Kelly Long, and Dr. Jason Wigand, who can develop a treatment plan tailored to your child’s needs.
Types and Causes of Hearing Loss
There are four main types of hearing loss: conductive, sensorineural, mixed, and central. Conductive hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the eardrum, ear canal, or middle ear. Some causes of conductive hearing loss in children include ear infections, allergies, fluid in the middle ear, a punctured eardrum, or congenital abnormalities of the ear. Your Columbia SC Hearing Loss expert will be able to determine the source.
Sensorineural hearing loss is associated with damage to the auditory nerve and inner ear, which can be due to genetics, a viral infection or disease, a head injury, or exposure to loud noises. Mixed hearing loss in children involves damage to the outer, middle, and inner ear and is a combination of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Central hearing loss occurs when the central nervous system fails to send recognizable signals about different sounds to the brain.
Treating Hearing Loss in Children
There are several methods for treating hearing loss in children. The most effective approach often depends on the type of hearing loss your child is experiencing, as well as the cause of it. Some of the options we have for treating hearing loss at our office in Columbia, SC, include:
- Antibiotics — Used to clear up an ear infection that is causing hearing problems.
- Ear Tubes — Inserted into the Eustachian tube to help fluids drain from the middle ear.
- Hearing Aid — Device that enables patients to hear sounds more loudly and clearly.
- Myringotomy — A procedure that involves piercing the eardrum to allow trapped fluids to drain out of the ear.
In some cases, surgery is the best option for treating hearing loss in a child. For example, surgical intervention can be used to remove a tumor or correct a congenital abnormality that is interfering with a child’s ability to hear clearly. Our Columbia SC Hearing Loss doctors can determine if surgery is necessary to best treat your child’s hearing loss.
Hearing loss can occur in children due to several factors, such as ear infection, allergies, or genetics. Dr. Kathryn McGee, Dr. Kelly Long, or Dr. Jason Wigand can discuss suitable treatment options for your child. For help with your child’s hearing loss, call Carolina Hearing Institute in Columbia SC at (803) 424-2208 to schedule an appointment. For our Lugoff SC office, call 803-424-2208.