Failed School Hearing Tests

[charley24]

Hello

I am hoping someone has some advice please, I am unsure whether this is the correct place to post.

My DD2 aged almost 6 failed her first and second school hearing tests. In between the tests after speaking to the nurse I took her to our GP to check whether she had any fluid/wax etc in the ears and he said there was nothing there, completely clear.

She failed the second test on Friday and is being referred (the nurse said urgently, but that will still be around 8 weeks to an audiologist at the hospital).

DD2 was premature at 32 weeks with a birth weight of just over 2lbs. She is a miracle as had necrotising endrocolitis at birth and a very rocky start (apneoas and brady's) and actually failed her baby hearing tests but then was signed off at 2.5years with the paedeatrician.

She is bright as a button however never seems to listen, ie she is well behaved but we had to ask her 5 times to do anything.

At parents evening last year and this the teacher explained she wasn't meeting the national average in reading/writing altho her maths was better.

The teacher said she was a bit of a dreamer...something I agreed with at the time.

She has the TV loud, her game console also and frequently asked 'what'.

I feel like things are starting to make sense ! My DH and I have tested ourselves and spoke without looking at her in a voice we would generally use and she cannot hear us, and noticed she watches our lips very closely.

The nurse said that she failed the test in both ears and that in her opinion it appeared severe but that the Audiologist would have a more detailed evaluation of her hearing.

Her speech is good, although she does mispronouce words and sometimes not finish them off, for example she would say I want to Sin !!! And not Sing.

She also uses the wrong first letter of words, but we can understand what she is saying. She doesn't have 'an indoor voice', she shrieks at times and speaks quite loudly to us.

I was wondering if anyone else had been through anything similar and can offer any words of wisdom?

I may seem blase, about this, but the fact she is here is wonderful after her start and her chances at birth and I am hoping if this does turn out to be that she is deaf/going deaf it is something that we can all cope with together and work through things.

Also I have read a lot about glue ear, but as the doctor said there was no fluid and her ears were clear I am unsure if this rules this out.

I would say that her problems with hearing, looking back have been there for over 2 years, or perhaps she has always had a problem but as I didn't know, nor she (as she took it as the norm).

I would appreciate any input or thoughts x
Thanks so Much x

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Hello Charley

Sorry to hear what you have gone through. Although I am not a parent of a deaf child, I am profoundly deaf myself and so I thought I would see if there is any advice I can give you

From what you are saying, it does pretty much point to a hearing problem - before mine was diagnosed at 2yrs, I never heard people call my name and only understood them if I was looking at them. My parents initially thought it was due to my being so ingrossed in whatever I was doing when I was called.

If she is looking at your lips closely, then I would say she is lipreading. The speech patterns and loud voice also indicate this - I sometimes have problem pitching my voice as well (remembers incident in restaurant with DH where, upon discussing infidelity in couples, I lovingly told him I would never cheat on him and half the place heard me )

But! You sound very positive about all this and ready to cope with the diagnosis - which is fab My advice would be to push for the audio appt to be brought forward - if she needs hearing aids, its better that its sooner rather than later

I would also suggest you contact the National Deaf Children's Society -NDCS as these can help you with advice, where to go next, put you in touch with support groups and advice about any benefits that you maybe entitled to for her

I hope this helps but please feel free to ask any more questions if you have them

[charley24]

Thanks so much Puss, your post is very reassuring.

When she was born her future was unknown and I think at that point we mentally prepared ourselves for whatever issues we may come up against.

It seems strange but I actually feel a little relieved that we have managed to pin point something as I know she is a bright girl, yet can't always show that at school, and of course they have these milestones to reach with reading/writing etc. When working at home I sit very close to her and she can do what I ask, put her in class and if she can't hear well then she doesn't know how to complete a task, leading to comments that she doesn't listen and doesn't follow the work she is meant to do.

I am sure her teacher, now aware will be able to pick up on things from now on.

Based on what you say I think perhaps I will call tomorrow and ask if they think this should be done more speedily and sperhaps look at our health plans and see if we are covered for a private consulation.

Hehe about your convo with hubby.....DD2 can say very loudly embarrasing things like 'Mum I need a wee' very loudly, or 'I have pumped' !!!!

I so appreciate your post and I will look at the website !

[PussinJimmyChoos]

Charley - am really pleased to be able to help and if you need any advice or just to offload, you are always welcome to CAT me

I too struggled in school if I didn't hear instructions but this changed a lot when I had a radio aid fitted - this connects to the hearing aid and amplifies the teachers voice - made a massive difference - I'm sure they will sort her out with all that in due course. The NDCS will be vry helpful I'm sure

I agree with seeing if you are covered for private consult - the NHS service is great but its not exactly speedy and my personal belief with these things is that its better to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later

There are other mums of deaf children on Mnet so I'm sure they will be along to offer advice also, but please remember - am here for you

[goinggetstough]

Definitely agree with all the above especially pushing for an earlier appointment. As for glue ear I believe that a GP can see if the ear drum is bulging ie glue behind it. So if they say they are clear they hopefully are.
As for the NDCS they are fabulous. You can register with them on line for free and this gives you access to all their information. Plus they have a helpline with people to speak to on general mattrs or they can arrange for their audiologist to phone you. I have found them very helpful. It might be worth calling them before your appointment for a chat so you can get more information.
I have a deaf teenager who had three sets of grommets between the ages of 2-5 years. He now wears 2 hearing aids and they have made a massive difference to his life and ours. No one chooses for their child to have hearing aids but if they do these days they come in very cool colours as do the ear moulds. So although I know of parents of newly diagnosed children being worried about how other children will react to their child with hearing aids, I can say from experience that the other children are often envious!! Anyway lets not jump ahead too far your daughter may be fine. Do though push for an earlier appointment and good luck!!

[goinggetstough]

www.ndcs.org.uk/applications/discussion/ Sorry forgot to say that the NDCS have a very information parents forum too. Hopefully I have attached the link. It is called Parents' Place.

[Dolfin]

You can contact the hospital paediatric audiology clinic directly and give them your contact details so if they have any late cancelations they can contact you. Sometimes clinic waiting lists vary in different parts of the County, it might also be worth explaining that you would be happy to travel to a different clinic if this would reduce the wait for assessment. I would also explain that her hearing maybe causing her problems at school and ask if she could be prioritised.

If your daughters speech is fairly good - then that is a pretty good indication that she is hearing a good range of sounds. You might want to consider a referral to speech therapy if she is still missing some sounds. Speech therapy will want to know the results of audiology assessment. Your GP can do this referral.

Glue ear tends to come and go up to the age of 10 years. The GP will not be able to test for this. Audiology will test for this it is a very quick and simple test.

Please keep an open mind. My son had early hearing problems, speech delay and problems with writing and reading. We later found out that he was dyslexic and the hearing problem was a processing problem. The child hearing impairment clinc were brilliant. He has a hearing aid to cut down background noise and amplifies the teachers voice.

You are right to have your daughter assessed and I hope all goes well.

[CarGirl]

I've had one dd who had hearing & speech problems due to glue ear, a different dd with hearing & speech problems due to auditory processing problems - her hearing was too sensitive in the lower decibels and very poor in the highest decibels - she spoke in the way that you describe your dd does.

I had a private hearing test done and then used the Johansen system to improve her hearing, obviously it wasn't until after the first 6 weeks that we knew that it was an auditory problem that could be helped rather than a physicial issue.

It is so so worth exploring this option - dd now has perfect hearing!

www.soundlearningsystems.co.uk/id13.html