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Should My Toddler Get a Hearing Test for a Speech Delay?
Short answer: often, yes. Children learn to talk by hearing the language around them, so a hearing check is a common and simple first step when a toddler's speech is behind. Even a mild or temporary hearing loss, like fluid behind the eardrum after ear infections, can make it harder to learn words. An audiologist can test your child's hearing at any age.
Coral Care's licensed speech-language pathologists do in-home speech evaluations for toddlers in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia. No referral is needed, and most families book within 1 to 2 weeks.
Why Hearing Matters for Speech
The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that normal hearing is needed to understand spoken language, and that hearing problems in the baby and toddler years can delay language and clear speech if they aren't caught early. Even a temporary loss during this period can make learning speech patterns harder (HealthyChildren.org).
"But My Child Passed the Newborn Hearing Screening"
That's good news, and it's still worth checking again if speech is behind. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association notes that a baby who passes the newborn screening may still have hearing problems later (ASHA). Ear infections and fluid can come and go in the toddler years.
Ear Infections, Fluid, and Hearing
Fluid in the middle ear from colds or ear infections usually causes mild hearing loss that clears as the fluid drains. In some children the fluid lingers, and the AAP notes these children may have delayed speech. If your toddler has had a lot of ear infections and isn't talking much, mention both to your pediatrician.
Signs Your Toddler Might Not Be Hearing Well
The AAP lists these signs to watch for:
- Doesn't always respond when called, which can look like not paying attention
- Speech is hard to understand more than half the time by two and a half
- Wasn't saying single words like "mama" or "dada" by 12 to 15 months
Our toddler milestones guide notes that most 2-year-olds know 50 to 250 words and are starting to put two words together. If your child isn't there yet, a hearing check and a speech evaluation together give the clearest picture.
How a Toddler Hearing Test Works
Your pediatrician may do a quick screening first. For a full hearing test, they'll refer you to an audiologist, a specialist who tests hearing in children of any age. For toddlers, testing is usually play-based, like turning toward a sound or responding to a toy. The AAP advises asking for a formal hearing evaluation promptly whenever you or your pediatrician suspect a hearing problem.
Hearing Test and Speech Evaluation: Do Both
A hearing test tells you whether your child is hearing the sounds of speech. A speech evaluation tells you how your child understands and uses language. If your child is under 3, your state's Early Intervention program offers free evaluations with no referral needed. Find your state's program.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
Often both. A hearing test shows whether your child hears the sounds of speech, and a speech evaluation shows how they understand and use language. Under 3, your state's Early Intervention program offers free evaluations with no referral needed.
If speech is behind, it's worth checking. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association notes that a baby who passes the newborn screening may still have hearing problems later.
Your pediatrician may do a quick screening. A full hearing test is done by an audiologist, a specialist who tests hearing in children of any age, usually through play for toddlers.
They can. Fluid in the middle ear after colds or ear infections usually causes mild, temporary hearing loss. In some children the fluid lingers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics notes these children may have delayed speech. If your toddler has had many ear infections and isn't talking much, mention both to your pediatrician.
