The start of the school year is an exciting time filled with new challenges and learning opportunities for children and teenagers. Backpacks, books, uniforms and school supplies are prepared, but there is one aspect that often goes unnoticed and is essential for academic performance: hearing health.
Hearing correctly is essential for following the teacher’s explanations, participating in class, interacting with classmates and properly developing language and comprehension skills. A minor hearing difficulty can affect learning without parents or teachers being aware of it.
At Auz Audiology, in San Fulgencio, we recommend taking advantage of the return to school to have a hearing assessment, especially if there are concerns about the child’s ability to hear or if they have suffered frequent ear infections during the summer.
Hearing and academic performance
Much of the information students receive during a school day reaches them through their hearing. Understanding instructions, learning new concepts, developing language skills and participating in group activities depend largely on good hearing.
When a child does not hear correctly, they may have difficulty following explanations, constantly ask for things to be repeated or become easily distracted. Sometimes, these behaviours can be mistaken for a lack of attention, disinterest or behavioural problems, when the real cause is hearing loss that has not yet been detected.
For this reason, identifying any hearing alteration at an early stage makes it possible to act before it affects their academic and social development.
Signs to look out for
Certain behaviours may indicate that a child is not hearing normally:
• Frequently asks for conversations to be repeated.
• Turns up the volume of the television or other devices very high.
• Does not seem to respond when called.
• Has difficulty understanding long instructions.
• Shows poor academic performance without an apparent cause.
• Is easily distracted in noisy environments.
• Has suffered several ear infections in recent months.
The presence of one or more of these signs does not necessarily indicate hearing loss, but it does justify seeking a professional assessment.
After the summer is also a good time to have your child’s ears checked
Water activities increase during the summer months and, with them, ear infections such as otitis externa. Although many clear up completely, some may leave temporary discomfort or briefly affect hearing ability.
Having a check-up before the start of the school year makes it possible to confirm that everything is working correctly and approach the return to school with peace of mind.
The importance of developing good habits
In addition to checking hearing, the return to school is an excellent opportunity to encourage healthy habits that help protect the ears throughout the year.
It is advisable to use headphones at a moderate volume, limit prolonged listening periods, protect the ears from high noise levels and consult a specialist in the event of any discomfort or change in hearing.
Small habits maintained over time help preserve hearing health and support proper development.
At Auz Audiology, we care for the hearing of the whole family
At Auz Audiology, in San Fulgencio, we believe that good hearing is an essential tool for learning, communicating and enjoying everyday life. That is why we provide our patients with personalised hearing assessments and friendly advice to detect any hearing alteration at an early stage.
The return to school is an excellent time to check that children are hearing correctly and begin the new school year with all the tools they need to reach their full potential. A hearing assessment can make a significant difference to their well-being, learning and quality of life.
