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Hearing Loss in Children: Signs and Insurance Coverage
According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is estimated over 12,000 babies are born with some level of hearing loss each year. That equals about 1 child in every 1,000 children being born extremely deaf. Considering this, as a parent, you want to provide your child with the care he or she needs when faced with these challenges. Your health insurance policy can help you to do that. Be sure to use the information here to help you find the best policy, but it is not to be considered medical advice.
What Causes Hearing Loss in Children?
The cause of hearing loss ranges widely depending on the situation. However, children’s hearing loss is often genetically related. If a family member has hearing loss, that may impact the child as well. It is possible that hearing loss in kids can also occur as a result of damage to the eardrum or physical trauma both in the womb and after birth. The most common type of hearing loss occurs when there are physical problems with the function of the outer, middle, or inner ear. It may also be the result of damage to the acoustic nerve and the auditory system. Also, infections can also be a key cause of it.
Hearing Loss in Children Risk Groups
Anyone can suffer damage to the ear and their ability to hear if they have physical trauma to the ear. However, it is less common for the risk of hearing loss to be due to this. Most commonly, if the child has a genetic predisposition for hearing loss, that is what is going to impact their ability to hear.
Symptoms of Hearing Loss in Children
The signs of hearing loss in babies tend to be harder to spot. If a child does not startle to a loud sound or does not say any words by the age of 1, those are signs a hearing problem in kids is present. In addition, if a child has to turn his or her head towards a sound to watch the lips that could be a concern. As a child gets older, signs of hearing loss may include speech that is unclear or delayed, asking for information to be repeated, or needing to turn the TV up.
Prevention of Hearing Loss in Children
Preventing hearing loss may be possible if you have a healthy pregnancy and have routine childhood vaccines created. It is also important to protect a child’s ears from high pitched sounds. Preventing hearing loss in children is something parents should try to do on a consistent level both before birth and after.
Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Loss in Children
If you have a child with hearing loss, you may be concerned about whether health insurance will help cover their needs. Under the most current health insurance laws, health plans have a requirement to provide coverage for hearing aids for those who are under the age of 18. This coverage depends on various factors, including whether or not the condition is a type of functional congenital malformation. Generally, the same rule does not apply to situations where the hearing loss can be covered by other procedures.
It is important for individuals to have coverage in place for hearing loss. If you are buying a health insurance policy right now, be sure your child’s hearing loss, doctors are included in the network of providers. You also want to be sure that the child’s hearing loss needs, such as medical procedures and hearing aids, are covered under the plan. You can set the deductible that fits your specific needs. It is also a good idea to consider prescription medications, doctor’s visits, specialist visits, and other medical needs your child has when choosing a plan.
Health insurance coverage for children should always include wellness visits. During those appointments, hearing should be checked. Be sure that it is a service you obtain from your doctor.
When a child has hearing loss, it can be frightening to parents. However, new technology is available, and comprehensive tools may be available. With the right health insurance, you can count on knowing your child’s needs will be met long term.
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