How to Know If You're Child Has a Hearing Problem

Babies are new to everything in the world. He's still taking it ALL in. Give him a little more time, you won't be able to get him to pay attention to anything BUT you. As long as he's responding to louder sounds, he should be fine. Though that doesn't mean that you should make real loud sounds all the time to get his attention.... then he really might have a hearing problem. LOL! Just hang in there.

Does he startle at loud noises? My 2 month old daughter always keeps her head to one side and doesn't seem to acknowledge me unless I'm right in front of her. But, she does startle at loud noises all the time. It sounds to me like your son is perfectly normal, but I'm not a doctor. The best thing to do would be to talk to his ped about your concern. I have a friend that has a deaf daughter. She never startled at loud noises and failed her newborn hearing test. If your ped doesn't answer your questions, ask for a referral to a specialist. I hope everything turns out for you :-)

if your baby startles at loud noises then he's probably fine. babies don't have very good peripheral vision that young and he probably hasn't learned his name yet. my daughter didn't start recognizig her name until she was about 4 1/2 months old. my ped said almost all babies keep thier heads cocked over or turned to thier right sides unil the muscles in their necks are fully developed. if he can not hold his head up at all then you might need to have him checked out.

K., I wouldn't worry. If he responds to loud sudden noises, than he probably doesn't have a hearing problem. Babies don't recognize their own names until they are at least 5 months anyway. If you're very concerned, than mention it to your pediatrician, and if they seem concerned maybe they'll test him...but I really doubt it would come to that. I know most hospitals give hearing tests before you leave the hospital.

That startle reflex may be all you get from him for a couple more months! Don't worry yet, but if you really suspect there's a problem, talk to the pediatrician.
~S.

No, at that young of an age they don't know their name and don't always feel the need to look at the noise, they don't really have a sense of what is causing it. I would bring it up with your ped.....I know with my son, because I have a hearing disability and it runs in my family I am trying to be very informed about when to test everything and how to make sure he hears everything....when I talked to my ped he said as long as he doesn't have a lot of ear infections, around 1 year is a good time......but every baby is different and if you have worries check them out, don't let you worry yourself to death.....but just to help you maybe feel a little better my son is six months old and doesn't always look when I say his name or clap.......and as far as we know his hearing is perfect to date....so ....I wouldn't worry too much....hope this helps :)

most babies doont know their name by that age. what were his hearing results from the hospital? if they were fine i think he would be ok. my daughter was tested and failed her left ear so we have to go may 8 to have her rechecked... if your really concerned call your doc and get a referral for a hearing specailist not an ent

Would be a good idea to have him seen by a doctor and have his ears looked at. Could have an ear infection. How long has he done this? If longer than a week, could be an infection that needs medication. Does he ever pull at the ear?? He's still a little young but could be trying to pull at it because of pain. he could also be like my daughter, she had a double ear infection, very bad, and never showed signs except not hearing me scream and make noises behind her! Scared me thinking she had hearing problems, but was just a really really bad ear infection. If he's had congestion or a runny nose before this, that could explain it. Or been out in the wind at all. Hope it's something simple! Best of luck and congratulations.

Babies are tested in the hospital at birth for their hearing. Did you ask how he did? I did, they said my baby passed.
Also, when my daughter was 3 months she didn't always respond to me, their hearing gets much much better as they get a little older and they respond to their names or to sounds more. She is 9 months now and she still doesn't always look when I call her but I know her hearing is good bc she looks everytime she hears a new sound, a car passing by, a plane, an animal, a noise from the TV etc...
Hope this helps some
Amy