Hearing problems are usually grouped into two types, conductive and sensorineural.  Conductive hearing loss means that there is a problem with the middle or outer ear that prevents the sound from physically reaching the healthy auditory nerve.  Sensorineural hearing loss involves damage to the auditory nerve or inner ear, which prevents the brain from receiving the correct signals.  If both forms of hearing loss are present, the condition is called mixed.

If an infant does not seem to respond to sound, the earlier the hearing damage is detected and confirmed, the better.  There are a variety of tests and techniques, including the behavioral audiogram, visual reinforced audiometry, and conditioned play audiometry, which are used by well-trained pediatric audiologists to diagnose hearing impairments.

Very young infants who are not responsive can be tested for hearing loss by using an auditory-evoked potential test that measures the lowest possible sound level that produces a brain wave.  The test can determine if the child can hear sound, but it cannot determine how the brain interprets the signal.

Both types of hearing loss may be present in the child with cerebral palsy.  An examination by a well-trained pediatric audiologist can help measure the extent of hearing loss.

Depending upon the type of hearing loss, hearing aids can be very effective, even in infants, in helping the child to hear as much as possible.  One downside to hearing aids is that they amplify all sounds, background noises as well as conversation.  It can be confusing for children who have other problems that make it hard to figure out which sounds are important.

For proper language development and normal speech, children need to be able to hear correctly.  They need the auditory cues required to learn language.  Children who suffer hearing impairments frequently have a delay in learning language skills. A thorough understanding of the extent of the damage is necessary to give the child with cerebral palsy the best education possible.