hearing impairment

[CloudBee]

Does anyone in here have a child who is hearing impaired?

DS has had some inconclusive tests, as he's not cooperating. (20 months old.)

Waiting for either a sedated test, or a repeat attempt at checking ears individually. He would only cooperate in the booth, and his better hearing is at the bottom of the normal range.

I have some questions about speech development. Mainly about missing syllables when attempting to say a word.

Thanks!

[craftyone]

I hope you are able to get a good test soon! 3 of my son's had to have hearing tests for the early intervention here at our public schools (they are developmentally delayed but hearing is okay). They hated them! We had essentially the newborn test which I think check pressures, another ear piece one where it had tones in the earpieces and had to hold still for like 30 secs in each ear, and the booth. I swear I felt like I had to put them in sort of a straight jacket hold while holding their head still. Not fun.

[whereintheworld]

DS1 had moderate hearing loss and had his first set of tubes in at 19 months. He needed 7 months of speech therapy after that to catch up since he had missed some important 'hearing' time.

Unfortunately with him the fluid keeps coming back - he had a second set of tubes in at 4yo and they also did an adenoidectomy at that time. Here we are at almost 5, he had the last tubes in 11 months ago and they've since fallen out - sure enough, he got a cold 2 weeks ago and now he can't hear. We are going in for a hearing test today so we can be referred back to the ENT at the Children's Hospital.

There was some question when my son was 19 if it was hearing loss due to fluid or if it was a larger structural issue with his inner ear. Since his hearing got better after tubes, they said it was fluid. Unfortunately that fluid just keeps coming back and we can't really figure out how to keep him hearing well longer term.

I hope with your son any hearing issues can be fixed easily with tubes.

We had trouble with the hearing tests under the age of 3, but the Children's Hospital worked really hard to make it fun for the kids with toys and things. He hated wearing the headphones though. I won't lie, it was tough to get an accurate reading on his hearing abilities.

[whereintheworld]

Sorry I am rambling a bit - our ENT also suggested the sedated test for DS1 but instead we went with tubes. If he was going to be sedated anyway, and there was known fluid in there potentially causing hearing loss, might as well do the tubes while under anesthesia and then re-testing hearing after. His follow up hearing test showed hearing in the normal levels instead of the moderate hearing loss pre-tubes.

[shanbrite2]

I'm a pediatric speech language pathologist who specializes in children with hearing loss. I'd be happy to answer any questions I can, either here or in a PM (as you feel comfortable sharing)