Experts say when a child suffers from hearing problems... it can affect him or her academically and socially.

we take a look at why regular hearing check-ups are so important.

Before five-year-old Morgan Joseph heads off to Kindergarten she has an important test to pass: a hearing test.

She failed an initial exam at her pediatrician's office and was referred to audiologist Laura Castel. "We will look at -- not only look at the ear itself, but we'll look at different components like the middle ear or the inner ear and how the child is responding to speech and different tones."

Castel recommends school-age children have their hearing checked at least once a year. "In the school-age population, we're now starting to find two out of every 100 children have hearing loss. And that could be an increase with the popularity of our personal stereo systems."

Castel says loud noises, especially from MP3 players, can damage a child's hearing. "If you can hear the music while they're wearing the headphones, that volume is too high."

It turns out that Morgan's hearing is fine --just what her mother was hoping to hear.

Morgan got an "A" on her first big test.

There are several other things that can raise the risk factors associated with hearing loss... such as ear infections... diseases... and syndromes.