By the age of 4, your child may tell you he or she is having difficulty hearing or understanding others. You can ask your child questions about his or her hearing.

You can also assess changes in your child's behavior that might indicate a hearing loss. Compare present behavior with past behavior. Does your child:

• Follow complicated instructions, such as "Take your coat to your bedroom and bring a book to read"?
• Respond to sounds appropriately, such as a telephone ringing, television sounds, or knocking at the door?

Your child's teacher may notice behavior that would indicate your child is not hearing well, such as talking in a loud voice or not following instructions.