Blog where midwives attend to the anxieties many moms and dads have about raising their children

#20
I wonder if my baby is hearing properly?

Baby Ears Hearing growth

Baby EarsHearing growth

The baby's ear organs are said to be developed and feeling sounds by about 26 weeks of pregnancy in the mother's belly.
Since they are born with the hearing ability to hear sounds, they are startled when they hear loud noises and open their eyes even when they are asleep. Of course, they do not know what the sound is, so they are only reacting reflexively to the sound.

《 Hearing growth 》
Around 1 to 2 months of age, they are spooked by loud noises, stretch their arms and legs, and turn their heads when called nearby.
After 2 months, they begin to wake up when they hear children's voices around them, and when you talk to them, they start to make noises such as “ah, ooo” and even smile.
At 3 to 5 months, they are able to understand what sounds they hear and are able to distinguish between mom and dad and other people's voices.
By the time they are six months old, they are beginning to understand the words coming out of people's mouths and will stare at the faces of those who speak to them.
Around 8 months, they are happy when you imitate animal noises and cry when you say strong words.
After 9 months, the child is able to respond to words such as “bye-bye” with actions.
Around the age of one, they learn words little by little by parroting words they hear by ear.


《 If you are not deaf 》
Babies who are born deaf are called “congenitally deaf,” and this occurs in 1 to 2 out of every 1,000 babies.
The hospital where the baby is delivered performs a simple test called newborn hearing screening, and most maternity hospitals now perform this test within the first three days after birth.
Early identification of a possible hearing loss through newborn hearing screening can help the development of speech, language, and communication by providing appropriate support.

What makes moms and dads anxious is, “I feel like they don't really respond when I talk to them, but I wonder if they can hear me?” But basically, there is no need to worry unless it is pointed out in the newborn hearing screening. However, there is basically no need to worry unless it is pointed out in the newborn hearing screening.

While babies' hearing develops as their bodies grow, when and how they respond to sound varies considerably from person to person. Do not be too concerned or sad about general comparisons, but watch your own child's behavior carefully and warmly.

Various cases are possible Causes of Hearing Loss

Various cases are possibleCauses of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss at birth can be caused by heredity, infection during pregnancy, premature birth, or malformation, but it can also be caused by a combination of genes from both parents, even if the parents do not have hearing loss.
Other known cases of hearing loss that occur when the mother is infected during pregnancy include rubella, toxoplasma, cytomegalovirus, and syphilis.
Furthermore, deformities of the ear can also cause hearing loss. If the ear canal is completely blocked, the structure of the eardrum is deformed, or the inner ear nerve is not complete, hearing loss can result.

《 If you have hearing loss 》
If there is a suspicion of hearing loss after newborn hearing screening while the child is in the hospital after birth, a definitive diagnosis is made by 3 months of age, but it is recommended that the child begin practicing hearing aids by 6 months of age.
Humans acquire language through speech, and the older a person gets, the more difficult it becomes to acquire language.
If they do have hearing loss, early detection of the hearing loss and early language acquisition will help them to speak the language.

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Updated on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month

Next time... Thursday, September 12, 2024 Update
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Yoko Nanbu, Midwife
The speaker is

Midwife Yoko Nambu

After graduating from Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Nursing and obtaining a national nursing license, and graduating from the Japanese Red Cross School of Midwifery and obtaining a national midwifery license, she worked as a midwife in the obstetrics and gynecology ward of Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, attending over 300 births and picking up babies. After that, she established "Toraube Inc.", a consultation office mainly for women's body. As a woman's ally, she provides consultation for problems at all ages. She believes that women should understand their own body as their own. She believes that this will lead to the solution of all problems and deals with them on a daily basis.
Her hobbies include traveling with her husband, listening to movies and music, and playing healthy mahjong.

What I want you to know from my experience
supporting many mothers as a midwife.

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