Found out my toddler is partially deaf

[CleverQuacks]

Today my 2 year old had a hearing test at the hospital. This was recommended because he has very poor speech and before SALT will accept a referral you have to have a hearing test. I had no concerns about his hearing and thought it was just a box ticking exercise.

Anyway I took him today and it turns out he can’t hear a lot of low pitched sounds. They looked in his ears and everything looks “normal”. They have made an appointment with a consultant at the end of the month.

I suffer with my mental health and now I am very anxious. Has anyone had similar? What did they do? How will this impact him? Will he need hearing aids?

I have so many questions that I should have asked. Can anyone offer any advice.

The hospital will be trying to find out what kind of hearing loss your son might have. Some losses are temporary but some are permanent. They will also try to find out how much of a hearing loss he has. This will help you to decide if hearing aids will be useful for him.
The NDCS website is an excellent place for advice and joining as a member is free.
If your son has a hearing loss, a Teacher of the Deaf might visit you at home or work with his nursery then his primary school to make sure his teachers know how to support him and he gets the right technology.

Write down any questions to take with you to his appointment and it might help if another adult goes with you. They can take notes and help you remember any information you are given.

Having a hearing loss can be a challenge but it needn't hold him back.

Oh that must have been a lot to take in OP, and it is really understandable that you are concerned for your little one.

Hearing loss is very specific to the individual and the hospital will be working out what is causing / has caused the loss and how to mitigate its impact (e.g. if surgery is a possibility, if something like glue ear is causing the issue, if hearing aids might work and speech therapy for example).

I don't know if it will help, but I have had lifelong hearing loss caused by ear infections as a child. I tried to wear the older style hearing aids when I was growing up years ago but didn't find these helpful so managed without through lip reading. I have degrees and a professional career and the hearing loss has not held me back - it has made things challenging at times but accommodations can be made in education and work settings and I generally find people to be supportive.

Technology has moved on and Bluetooth hearing aids, cochlear implants etc., can really make a difference.

Hopefully the hospital will be able to reassure you.

I’m so sorry. I don’t have advice but just wanted to bump this thread in case it got you some more replies x