We learned about a simple test this weekend that is useful to parents. The Ling 6 test covers the spectrum of English sounds in order to give an accurate representation of a child’s hearing. Instead of testing for volume, it also tests for frequency. The initial sounds are lower frequency and they work their way up to higher frequencies.

A better explanation is here:

For example, if your child suddenly has difficulty with sh and ss sounds, it can help to diagonse a change in your child’s hearing or a malfunction in the hearing equipment. Normally, we test just to see if the battery isn’t dead, however, this test allows anyone to get a snapshot of hearing at any one time.

It is critical to use this test everyday. The provided link also gives instructions for giving the test. It’s important that in a quiet environment, the child signifies that they hear the sound without repeating it back to you. It is also important that they do not see your face when making the sound, otherwise, they could be imitating a visual cue instead of actually responding to what they are hearing.