(HealthDay News) -- Children need regular hearing tests to help identify any hearing problems before they worsen.
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has issued guidelines for when school-age children should have their hearing examined.
A hearing test should be performed:
- Before children start school, and each year beginning with kindergarten through the third grade. The test should be repeated when children are in the seventh and 11th grades.
- If concerns arise about a child's language, speech, learning or hearing capabilities.
- If a family history of hereditary hearing loss exists, particularly later in life.
- If there are persistent ear infections.
- If there are problems with the skull or face that may affect hearing, or an injury to the head that rendered the child unconscious.
- If there are other factors that could lead to hearing loss, such as being exposed repeatedly to very loud noise.