How to Check Your Child's Hearing at Home

What to use: A squeak toy, a rattle, or a bell. Some homemade testers including the use of dry beans or rice in a jar or paperclips in a metal can. 

What do do: Stand approximately 12 inches behind your child and activate the noise. Be sure she cannot see the noisemaker so you can be certain she actually hears the sound and not just sees what is making it. 

When to test: An easy setting for hearing tests is at mealtime when a child is in a high chair. Another is when a child is on one parent's lap and another caregiver stands behind her. Choose a time when the child's attention is distracted away from the tester to be sure the child responds to the sound and not the person. 

(Source:http://www.pedsforparents.com/articles/3204.shtml)