Normal developmental stage or should I get his hearing tested?

[IMoveTheStars]

DS is almost 3. He has selective hearing at the best of times, but have noticed recently that he doesn't seem to hear me at all.

EVERY single time I've spoken to him/asked him a question/told him off etc he's not heard me.. When I do get his attention i've spoken to him about listening/answering questions etc.

Do they all go through this, or should I get his hearing tested to make sure? His speech is pretty average for his age I think (he seems to chatter just fine with friend about the same age) and nursery haven't mentioned anything..

Hmm - difficult to say. It is definitely a boy thing around that age - I remember complaining to friends who also have boys about it when DS was 3 yrs (and even now he's 6!).

Wouldn't hurt to get hearing checked for your piece of mind although if he's talking to his friends and talking generally fine I imagine there is no problem.

Maybe he's just sick of the sound of my voice

Get him tested!!

I was convinced for almost 2 yrs that my DS couldn't hear. The audiologist said he was ignoring me and had bad behaviour....
Further tests showed he has permanent hearing loss and now wears heaing aids!

Your DS might just have congestion (glue ear) which does make hearing loss/ hearing/ intermittent, so please get tested!

You will know better than anyone if he can hear. Maybe I'm paranoid but I was bloody wild when I had been fobbed off for almost 2 yrs when I knew my DS couldnt hear. The Chief audiologist apologised, but now we have a lot of catching up to do.

How is your DS's speech?, that was a big clue to me he couldnt hear. If his speech has got a bit sloppy, eg not prounouncing words as clearly that could indicate some deafness (prob just temporary).

Be persistant!

Thanks oldie - thanks. His speech is OK I think, he's not getting worse as such but I don't think it's getting any better either.

His pronounciation seems OK.. he can't say 'Tr' and says 'F' instead (dump truck is amusing ) but I think that's pretty normal for his age.

Should I arrange an appt with the GP? Am loathed to talk to the HV as I've managed to cut contact with her (hurrah!) as she's bloody awful.

Growth spurts in boys have been shown to coincide with hearing issues. Certainly I noticed this with my DS, and still occasionally do ( he's nearly 7 now ).

His pattern is as follows:

• Gets a tiny pot belly
• Becomes more aggressive
• Eats loads
• Hearing goes
• Gets distracted
• Becomes a bit manic ( like he is the rest of the time when he needs to go to the loo, iykwim)
• Finally after a few weeks grows upwards ( notice troos too short etc ), loses pot belly, hearing returns etc.

Unless its been going on for more than a few months, I wouldn't worry. Especially if its selective.

I had to go to my GP who then got the referral via the HV!
At that time it was for glue ear, but when that cleared up he was still deaf!

I say try your GP it might be different in your area.

Good luck ! :)

taffetacat - wow, you've just described the last two weeks with DS, he's definitely having a growth spurt. He slept til 11am this morning!!!!

Do you know why growth spurts coincide with hearing problems?

That makes a lot of sense, I'll give it a couple of weeks and if it doesn't improve I shall take him to the GP - thanks notheroldie for your advice on that. The GPs at my practice are superb (I am v lucky) so they'll be great I'm sure.

I read a book about it when DS was about the same age as yours. Goodness only knows which one - maybe Raising Boys by Steve Biddulph?

I'm not sure its physical - it may be more a concentration thing, but don't quote me on that

please get his hearing tested to rule out glue ear. ti can mess them up big time look it up it. is a problem for my son and it is not good but can be treated.

I will get him tested, thank you.

He's very hard to talk to sometimes, I have to hold his hands, make him look at me and say his name.

He also knows makaton, which we still use sometimes, maybe that's not helping?