The simple DIY test that can help you determine if your child has this hearing issue

Many parents will tell you their child has selective hearing - they can hear the rustle of a biscuit packet opening from three rooms away, for instance, but not a point-blank instruction to clean their room.

However, if a child persistently struggles to concentrate on a given task or listen to instructions, it could be a sign of a hearing issue needing proper attention.

Speaking on the new episode of 9Honey’s parenting podcast, Honey Mums, psychologist Sandy Rea explains how a child’s Central Auditory Processing (CAP) can influence their behaviour.

“We have foreground noise and we have background noise. Children who have a CAP difficulty have trouble discriminating between the two,” Rea says.

LISTEN: Sandy Rea tells the Honey Mums podcast about a hearing issue some children experience, and how to spot it. (Post continues.)

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Rea says if your child is “persistently not paying attention”, or you’ve had reports from their teacher of them “not concentrating, having trouble reading, or jumping around the classroom”, she suggests seeking a CAP assessment from an audiologist. 

There’s also a simple test you can employ at home first as a “rule of thumb”.

“Then, ask them to get three things from bedroom. It might be, ‘Jack, can you bring down your football, a jumper and a pair of socks ready for school tomorrow.’”

Closely observes what happens next. If your child loses track after the first instruction, it’s a sign they might have a central auditory processing difficulty.

“Rather than engaging in lots of discipline — we have these psychological profiles of these children as being misbehaving and negligent and non-compliant — I would really encourage parents to think of an alternative way, and go to an audiologist,” Rea concludes.