To think about not sending my child for another hearing test ?

[WinterBootsNeeded]

My child is 6yo and has got a letter from school following a standard school hearing test.

Results are 500Hz failed and 1/2/4kHz passed for both ears.

He recently at the time of the test had a cold. My first thought is that the cold is responsible for the poor hearing at the lowest level. As all previous hearing tests have been fine on all levels.

Do I really have to take him out of school and take him across the town to be retested, as the letter suggests ?

I will ring and ask the school nurse for more details on Monday but hoped someone might be able to tell me if this is something minor or major ?

It's up to you, but they don't do hearing tests just for a laugh.

Why would you not? if it’s caused by the cold then he’s had a morning out. If it’s not, then plans can be put in place to treat.

I would take him just to be on the safe side since there's no way for you to know with certainty that the cold is responsible for the failed hearing test.

You should - my daughter had one of these tests and unbeknown to me she actually had glue ear. If he has a problem with his hearing, it will affect his learning in school plus also he will become more tired and his might become not so well behaved. You can't assume he failed due to his cold.

I don't understand why you are questioning it.

So you're willing to potentially miss you DC having a hearing problem identified so you can save yourself a little inconvenience?

Yabu. You'd risk his hearing problem being undiagnosed because you can't be arsed to take him? Nice.

I'm actually quite shocked that you would want to get this checked further!!

Why would you not take him?!! I'm genuinely baffled.

Yeah. Ours was congestion too - but the test they do at the hospital can measure hearing both in front of and behind the congestion just to make sure that’s all it is.

Can't understand why you would even think about not taking him for a further test

Wtf? Stop being a dick and take your child to his hearing test!

I teach deaf children. I can’t believe anyone wouldn’t bother to take their child for a heating test when they’ve been told to.

Im an audiologist. Get him tested. If he has glue ear hearing can fluctuate. You have no way of knowing whether the last test was on a "good" or "bad" day. As well as a hearing test his middle ear pressures and movement of his eardrums wull be measured. In all likelyhood hes fine but they dont do these screens for no reason.

OP,

I am 49 and wear hearing aids. Please, take your DC to the appointment and get it checked.

I didn't have hearing aids for a long time, and struggled at school at times. Getting stuff wrong at school because you didn't hear the instructions sucks, especially when (certain of my) teachers didn't give a fuck about me not hearing properly and just ignored the problem or told me to listen harder

The hearing aids have made a massive difference. Please don't assume it's just the cold.

Why wouldn’t you?

What vital learning do you think he’ll miss if you take him and it’s all fine versus if you don’t and it turns out he does have hearing loss

I didn't realise that some things like glue ear could come and go. I had assumed that because the last tests were clear that it could be nothing major.

So I will be taking him to be retested just in case. Any idea if the test results reflect glue ear ?

As someone who has a child with hearing loss, why wouldn't you? They can put support in place and what's a few hours to ensure your child can hear your voice?

Yes winter the reduction at 500 Hz indicates mild congestion/glue ear particularly with a cold but if i were you id want to be reassured it had resolved and noy worsened

It might not be glue ear. My own problem is congenital hearing loss in both ears.

I do these hearing tests in school. We retest after an initial fail before referring. The audiology clinic will do a much more in depth test in a controlled environment. I have had parents refuse a referral before but I don't know why you would.

Just take him.

Loss of hearing has a huge impact on learning and speech. DS2 has glue ear and constant ear infections since he was a baby.when it bursts he screams and screams in pain. He had grommets which resolved the burst ears (went from every other week to maybe twice a year now) but the lasting effects of the hearing loss is apparent in his speech, spelling and reading as he never learnt to speak properly as he couldn’t hear clearly. It affects his behaviour (if he doesn’t these in class he will just mess around although he has for better at saying he needs it repeating)
Where his drums burst so many times he had a retracted ear drum that never completely healed up after his grommets. The flap of drum then rubbed against one of the tiny bones crucial for hearing so he will never regain 100% hearing in that ear. He’s currently monitored and is borderline for needing hearing aids.
I wouldn’t wish what he has gone through on anyone. Better to check and be safe than sorry.

I will take him to be sure.

It was more to do with not wanting to waste nhs time on my child with a cold and a previous 100% hearing test.

I suffered moderate hearing loss as an adult: I now where two hearing aids. One day over the summer I realised I wasn't hearing as well and 4 months later got my first pair of aids. They don't know why I've had this loss.

So hearing can deteriorate from one year to the next. Don't assume just because your child was okay on the tests last year he can't have suffered some hearing loss in the meantime.

Hope it all goes well.

Thank you.