Taking a Peek Under the Hood: What a Pediatric Dentist, Optometrist and Physician know about your child's health that can super-size his academic progress!
A child's parents are often the ones in the best position to recognize their child might have a condition affecting his progress in school. Being alert to three basic childhood problems can mean the difference between your child's success or failure in school.
Hearing
Hearing is absolutely essential to academic progress. Children who do not hear clearly cannot follow verbal directions, understand the correct pronunciation of words and are at a risk of being thought of as disobedient because they do not follow adult direction.
Temporary hearing losses can be associated with infections, altitude trauma, following a plane trip or something as simple as earwax build-up. Although all of these situations are temporary, if the feeling of pressure is not relieved after a few days from your trip and if you are not able to clear the earwax build-up on your own, a visit to the doctor is in order.
Ear infections will usually get worse before they get better. Most parents spend at least one night walking the floor with a child who has a high temperature and is screaming from pain - the hallmarks of an ear infection. Always call on your doctor for the appropriate steps to take to clear the infection.
The most often thought-of cause for permanent hearing loss is the child who is born with a congenital defect. This type of hearing loss comes most frequently where there is a family history of deafness, but can also occur when the mother is exposed to Rubella during pregnancy. Infrequently, infectious diseases such as mumps, measles, meningitis or encephalitis can damage parts of the nervous system and effect hearing.
All hearing loss can have a negative impact on learning. In some situations, behavioral problems borne of frustration can also be a hearing-loss by product. If in doubt about your child's hearing, consult a physician!
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