Discover the main treatments for childhood deafness

The treatment for deafness in the baby can be done with hearing aids, surgery or the use of some medications, depending on the cause of the deafness, the type and degree of hearing, and the child can recover all or part of the hearing.

However, in either case it is important to have sessions with the speech therapist or learn sign language to allow the baby to develop his communication skills as much as possible, thus avoiding delays at school, for example.

Normally, treatment for infantile deafness should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis, and when it starts before 6 months of age there is a greater chance that the child will develop with less difficulty in communication.

Hearing aid

Cochlear implant

Medicines

Main treatments for infant deafness

Some of the most used treatments for infantile deafness are the use of hearing aids, the cochlear implant or the taking of medicines. These treatments can be used separately or together to improve the child's hearing.

1. Hearing aids

Hearing aids are used mainly in the case of babies who still have a small degree of hearing, but who cannot hear correctly.

This type of device is placed behind the ear and helps to conduct the sound inside the ear, so that the child can hear more easily, avoiding difficulties in language delay. Learn more at: Hearing aid.

2. Cochlear implant

The cochlear implant is generally used in the most severe cases, in which the baby has profound deafness or there is no improvement in hearing loss with hearing aids.

Thus, the pediatrician may recommend having surgery to place a cochlear implant in the ear, replacing parts of the ear that are not working properly. Find out more about this surgery at: Cochlear implant.

3. Remedies

The remedies are used in the mildest cases of deafness, when the ability to listen is affected only by changes in the outermost regions of the ear.

Thus, if the deafness is caused by an infection in the outer ear, for example, the doctor may prescribe anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory drugs to treat the infection and return hearing to the child.