Hearing health is often discussed among older adults but it actually starts from day one. Monitoring and protecting our children’s ears early on in life is an important part of ensuring their long-term health.

“While the majority of our client base are adults, I’ve personally worked with many young families and their children over the years as well,” says Dr. Markus Hilbert, Au.D., Doctor of Audiology from Pardon Me Hearing in Kelowna. “It’s important for every child to have their hearing checked at birth and again when they enter the school system, especially if there are concerns for hearing sensitivity, speech and/or language development or comprehension/processing. Early assessment leads to early intervention and a better overall quality of life for the child and the whole family.”

Dr. Hilbert, Au.D., encourages parents to reach out to their local public health authority (Interior Health for Okanagan communities) to arrange for the younger child’s hearing assessments. Newborn screenings are handled by the hospitals and kids born elsewhere may also have had a newborn hearing screening at birth. The same goes for older children showing possible signs of hearing loss, like turning up the volume to a level that disturbs others, appearing to not pay attention, especially in noisy group settings, or having trouble learning in classroom settings.

“Interior Health does a great job of supporting families with a wide-variety of healthcare services, including hearing healthcare, but after age seven families often see community providers such as ourselves, that’s where we can help,” Dr. Hilbert, Au.D., says. “We’re consistently ranked as the most affordable hearing clinic for hearing aids and hearing accessories like the Roger system, which is most commonly used in school settings.”

Roger by Phonak is often provided to students within the classroom but they can’t typically take it home. As students enter higher grades, they often benefit from accessing hearing support accessories at home, too. Pardon Me Hearing not only provides affordable access to hearing aids but can also support parents looking to invest in hearing support systems like Roger as well, and Dr. Hilbert, Au.D., will liaison with SD23 and parents for best outcomes for the child at school.

“Hearing health is not just a seniors’ problem and it’s important for families to know they have a trusted resource like Pardon Me Hearing available with affordable, high-quality solutions and experienced clinicians for their loved ones of all ages and in all stages of life,” Dr. Hilbert, Au.D., says.

Find Pardon Me Hearing online or connect with them over the phone at 778-478-3277 (Kelowna Location) or 778-475-4327 (Vernon Location) and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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