My son doesn’t seem to hear me half the time.

Q. My son doesn’t seem to hear me half the time. I end up yelling at him to get him to pay attention. We had his hearing tested and he does not have any problems. What can I do to get him to listen to me?

A. Boys’ ears are actually constructed slightly differently than those of girls and it means that some boys don’t hear high sounds or soft sounds very well. Make sure that you are looking at him when you talk to him and that you start by calling his name. He needs to be looking in your direction, but not necessarily looking you in the face. Then speak directly to him with a voice that may seem to be a bit louder than a typical “inside voice.”