Audiologists warn that hearing difficulties may appear through behaviour, concentration or communication, meaning early signs can be mistaken for poor listening rather than a problem with hearing.
Several weeks into the new school term, Audiologists are encouraging parents and teachers to look beyond labels such as “not paying attention”, “daydreaming” or “ignoring instructions”, particularly when certain behaviours appear repeatedly at both home and school.
According to Clare Snelling, Audiologist, Director and Co-Owner of The Hearing Centres, hearing difficulties often reveal themselves through communication and behaviour rather than complaints about hearing itself.
“Children are unlikely to tell adults that they cannot hear properly because many genuinely do not realise anything is wrong. They assume everybody experiences sound in the same way that they do, so hearing difficulties may instead appear through changes in behaviour, concentration or confidence.”
“When a child struggles to hear clearly, particularly in busy environments such as classrooms, they often begin developing coping strategies. Unfortunately, those strategies can sometimes be mistaken for poor listening, lack of focus or disruptivebehaviour when hearing may actually be contributing to the problem.”
Seven signs hearing loss may be affecting a child
1. They do not respond when their name is called especially if not facing the child
“One of the most common concerns parents raise, is that their child seems to ignore them. Of course, children sometimes become absorbed in what they are doing, but if a child regularly fails to respond when called from another room or only reacts when spoken to face-to-face, hearing should be considered as a possible factor.”
2. They seem to daydream or lose focus in lessons
“A child who misses part of a teacher’s instructions can quickly lose track of what is happening. From the outside, this may look like a lack of concentration, but they may simply be trying to work out what they have missed.”
3. They watch people’s faces very closely
“Children often use visual clues to support communication without realising they are doing it. They may focus intensely on a teacher’s mouth or watch a parent’s face during conversations because it helps them fill in parts of speech they are struggling to hear.”
4. They struggle more than other children in noisy classrooms
“A child may seem perfectly engaged during one-to-one conversations yet struggle significantly during group activities, class discussions or busy lunchtime environments. That difference is often an important clue.”
5. They frequently ask people to repeat themselves
“Children naturally ask questions, but repeatedly saying ‘what?’, misunderstanding instructions or needing the same information explained several times deserves attention, particularly if it happens across different settings.”
6. They keep turning up the television or tablet volume
“Changes in volume preferences are often among the earliest signs noticed by families. Parents may find themselves continually reducing the volume, only for the child to increase it again.”
7. They seem unusually tired, frustrated or withdrawn after school
“That additional mental workload can lead to frustration, tiredness or withdrawal, particularly after busy days. Some children become quieter socially, while others may appear irritable because communication has become more difficult.”
What should parents and teachers do, and when should a hearing check be considered?
Clare says adults should look for consistent patterns across home and school rather than drawing conclusions from one behaviour.
“No one sign proves a child has hearing loss. Children can be tired, distracted or overwhelmed for many reasons. The key is whether several behaviours occur consistently and whether parents and teachers notice the same pattern across different environments.
“If a child frequently misunderstands speech, struggles in noisy environments, regularly asks for repetition or shows a noticeable change in communication, consider a hearing assessment rather than assuming the issue is behavioural,” Clare suggested.
“A hearing assessment can identify a difficulty or provide reassurance that hearing is not the cause. Early clarity helps parents and teachers understand how best to support the child’s learning, communication and confidence.”
