Toddler - severe hearing loss

[Marbelle]

My youngest is 15 months and has said dadada a few times but is otherwise very quiet. He does not say uh-oh or bye-bye or mama. CM told me that he was quiet. I mean, everyone told me that he was quiet. Then HV saw him at 12 months and said all was fine. But CM kept pushing. So I took my DC to the doctor who make a referral to hearing clinic.

The results have come back and I don't understand what the numbers mean. There are numbers under soundfield and frequency. The report says he has severe hearing loss. They booked him for another review test next week.

I don't know what to think or do. I don't know sign language. I don't know what severe hearing loss mean? Can he hear me at all? Do I need to speak louder? He watches TV!!! He loves Cocomelon. How can he not hear? He smiles at the TV.

Ds was like that. He had 10% hearing but had adapted so well I couldn't tell he couldn't hear.
He had glue ear and grommets (3 times) helped until he grew out of it.

Hi, it must be a bit of a shock and there is a lot of information to digest. I’m not sure how much you have had explained to you. There are four levels - mild, moderate, severe, profound, and hearing loss can be conductive (middle ear - such as glue ear) which can sometimes be treated, or sensorineural which is permanent.
My DD was diagnosed as having moderate hearing loss at birth - they said she would be able to hear speech in a quiet room but not loudly or clearly. We got hearing aids straight away. She is now profoundly deaf. Despite this, without her hearing aids she can still hear music (and has a dance) and some voices as well. We are learning sign language so that she can be bilingual and have access to both worlds and always have communication options with her family. It’s a lot at the beginning but you will find your feet. My DD is a delight and I wouldn’t change anything about her. The best advice I got was to enjoy my baby and not let her deafness be the only thing to define her.
the National Deaf Children Society are great and I’m sure you will be put in touch with a Teacher of the deaf who are a fantastic resource

Contact the National Deaf Children's Society.

They are a charity and are great. We went on a Newly Diagnosed weekend when my daughter was diagnosed with mild-moderate loss as a young child.

it was really helpful.

Thank you for your kind comments. I am still in shock.

DH went with DC to the hospital appointment and they also sent a letter. The letter says "severe hearing loss". I kept on saying to DH that test could be wrong but DH says no, they explained to him that there are things that DC hears and things he cannot hear. There is another appointment next week.

I wouldn't change anything in my DC, and I'm grateful just to have him whatever the issues may be.

I'll contact National Deaf Children's Society, thank you for sign posting.

Don’t panic! It must be a big shock to you but things will work out.
A moderate hearing loss is easier to work with than a profound hearing loss.
Your child, with the right support at this early stage, will do very well and live a normal life.
For now Keep talking to him, singing nursery rhymes, reading stories- all the usual things you would do with a toddler.
Encourage him to look at your face when you are talking to him - in a natural way don’t force him.
When you are reading picture books maybe be a little more expressive than normal - point to pictures then say it again while your child looks at you and not just at the picture. Just keep it natural.

Everything will be fine.

Keep your appointment next week and give yourself chance to absorb all the new information you will be given.

It may seem like the end of the world to you- but it’s really not.
I wish I could introduce you to the adults I know who were born with moderate hearing loss and are living quite ordinary lives.
All will be well. Courage!

Hi OP

i was diagnosed as having a severe hearing loss as a baby. It has stayed pretty much at the same level throughout my life. If it’s the same as mine, your son probably can hear quite a lot - but he’ll be missing quite a lot as well, and hearing things quite differently to you. eg I grew up with a lisp - probably because I never heard the sssss sounds when I was young. I had speech therapy for that.

I didn’t get hearing aids until I was about 8 - my mum was a teacher / SAHM when I was young so she pushed me on with reading and writing, then I was at a very small rural primary school. The teacher was on the lookout and told my parents when I started to struggle, and needed hearing aids. I’ve had them ever since - 51 yrs now.

it hasn’t held me back - I went all the way to phd level academically, and socially have no problems. I often don’t wear my hearing aids at home, but DH and our boys get a bit fed up repeatjng themselves 🤷‍♀️. I always wear them out and at work, if be totally lost without them tbh.

'Severe' sounds bad, but there's actually quite a bit of hearing they can work with. He will get hearing aids and you will get support. You can learn sign language and you will learn to communicate so that he learns to listen and speak.
Wishing you all the best.