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Effects of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can impact on how you interact with family and friends.

Hearing loss can have a range of consequences that depends on the individual and their unique type of hearing loss. The most common experience is a reduced ability to understand other people, particularly in noisy situations. This can impact how you interact with family and friends, making it difficult to learn at school and or perform your duties in the workplace competently.

 

Impact On Children & Infants With Hearing Loss

Research has demonstrated that children with a mild or moderate hearing loss can have difficulties learning and developing the necessary speech and language skills that help foster self-esteem and the ability to succeed at school and gain employment. If not detected early, a hearing loss can change the way children speak, learn and interact with others. Being aware of a child’s hearing abilities soon after they are born, e.g. through neonatal hearing screening, gives hearing health professionals time to manage a young child’s hearing loss with effective Habilitation. Once a hearing loss is detected, and appropriate measures put in place, a child can usually continue down the pathway of speech and language development.

 

Health Risks Associated With Untreated Hearing Loss

If left untreated, hearing loss can have other negative social and health impacts in both adults and children that go beyond the hearing impairment itself and include reduced quality of life and well-being. Potential health impacts from hearing loss can include headaches, muscle tension,

 and increased stress and blood pressure levels. Some studies have linked untreated hearing loss in adults to depression, fatigue, social withdrawal and impaired memory.

If you think you may have hearing loss, make an appointment to see a hearing health professional, such as an audiologist or an audiometricist, and have a Hearing Test.