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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

DS just "failed" hearing distraction test...

20 replies

Jessajam · 21/04/2006 14:36

Just got back from hearing distraction test for my 8mo ds.

The HV doing the testing said that he needed to be re-tested in a few weeks time as she wasn't really happy with the results but that it could be due to the fact that he has a bit of a cold and is congested which can affect hearing.
I thought he was just poor on some of the stimuli, the quieter hummy one and the shh-y one (!!) but having got home and read her notes it says "poor response left and right to all sound stimuli".
Am now desperately trying not to worry, while racking my brains to think of the quietest noises he has ever responded to!!!
Help??!!

OP posts:

EvesMama · 21/04/2006 14:40

DONT WORRY..my friends ds failed his, machine to quiet, outside noise too loud, distracted by other people in room..they make you feel concerned but go with your own instinct!

JonesTheSteam · 21/04/2006 14:42

I wouldn't worry TBH, especially as he has a cold.

DS failed the hearing test he had done at 9 months.

He was just far more interested in the toys he was being shown than turning around for some silly noise.

He was referred to an audiology clinic and tested there. He was fine.

He recently got tested again (last Dec) (HV referred him because he speech was poor). By the time the appointment arrived his speech had improved a lot and again they discharged him with no concerns.

waterfalls · 21/04/2006 14:44

My dt1 has failed twice so far, waiting for a third appointment, but I am not worried to be honest, she certainly has no problems hearing me open a pack of crisps in another room

Hallgerda · 21/04/2006 14:44

Yes, one of mine failed too. Having been sent round the woods over his older brother supposedly failing the sight test several years earlier, I was sceptical, didn't follow up the appointment, and my son's fine. Nothing wrong with his hearing, just not awfully distractable.

It's pretty annoying that they're still using the distraction test when there's a superior test that can be used on very small babies.

JonesTheSteam · 21/04/2006 14:44

LOL at the packet of crips, waterfalls.

DS has the same uncanny ability to 'hear' me eating chocolate!!!!!

waterfalls · 21/04/2006 14:45

bogwobbit · 21/04/2006 14:47

Jess, please try not to worry - difficult I know.
My son consistently failed hearing distraction tests. He was sent to a specialist unit for a more advanced distraction test, which he failed again...miserably. I was told that he was, by the health professionals there, that he was profoundly deaf; that there was nothing that could be done to help him apart from, possibly, wearing a hearing aid and that he would probably have to attend a special school for deaf children. All this before he was even 2 years old - I was distraught.
Then I was left for about 14 months waiting for a follow up appointment, with no help, advice or support. At the next appointment, my son passed the hearing with flying colours and he was pronounced as having no problems whatsoever . Looks like he just 'couldn't be bothered' acknowledging any of the sounds.
Do you personally think he has a problem? I ask this because I think that in my heart of hearts, I knew that my son could hear, otherwise I would probably have been climbing the walls with worry.
Anyway, sorry if I'm rambling but I just wanted you to know that you'll more than likely get a happy outcome. Good luck

bogwobbit · 21/04/2006 14:49

Waterfalls, :o
that's exactly how I felt with my son - he could always hear a packet of sweets open.

morningpaper · 21/04/2006 14:52

We also "failed" all the hearing tests with dd1 and ended up with various appointments at the local deaf school for an assessment - where the teacher just said "This child can hear fine, she just has a lot of concentration and isn't distracted by noises - go home!"

and yes she is fine

JonesTheSteam · 21/04/2006 14:53

morningpaper - that's exacly like DS - always concentrated really hard on whatever he was playing with, and has a better concentration span at 2.6 than DD has at 5!!!!!!!

Original poster

Jessajam · 21/04/2006 14:54

Thanks everyone.
I think/hope he was just more interested in the wooden blocks being bashed together in front of him than some daft woman making hmm-y/shh-y noises next to him!
This cold has set in on him today, he looks somewhat hungover ( hmmm maybe less whisky in his night time bottle then?!) and groggy (even more reason to ignore the silly noises i guess)

OP posts:

mcmudda · 21/04/2006 14:55

Jessajam - try not to worry too much. The distraction test is universally unreliable hence the reason they're phasing it out altogether. My dd is 10 months and didn't get it at all - she was tested at 6 weeks instead.

Uwila · 21/04/2006 15:48

Oh these tests are silly. 8 month old babies don't respond on command. and it may or may not have anything to do with their hearing.

11 month old DS hasn't been offered this test and I'm not bothered at all.

LunarSea · 21/04/2006 16:00

ds "failed" this twice too - not because he wouldn't respond, but because once he'd sussed out that there was someone behind him doing something potentially interesting, he was more interested in seeing what was going on than looking in front of him, hence they couldn't get him looking straight ahead long enough to be able to distract him! Cue referal for tests, and anxious wait - only to be told that there was nothing wrong with him that being less bright wouldn't have cured!

Hausfrau · 21/04/2006 16:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Jessajam · 21/04/2006 16:18

LOL Hausfrau!

Lunarsea, my ds 'cheated' too, and turned before the noise once or twice to see whether she was coming back!

Will still probably spend weekend crinkling crisp packets and quietly humming behind poor ds's back though to see if he reacts!!!

OP posts:

fsmail · 21/04/2006 18:33

My DS failed and it was just a boy thing and left it at that. I then found out when he was 5 that he had Glue ear and this may have affected his learning sounds in reception. Therefore I would keep an eye on it and get him checked out later just to be sure he is OK.

singersgirl · 21/04/2006 19:22

DS2 failed his distraction hearing test twice and was referred to the audiology clinic - he passed this test, but the graph for one ear was quite flat, suggesting some glue ear.

They told me to keep an eye on his speech and have him re-tested if I was at all concerned. He spoke early and very clearly, and has no hearing problems at all.

He was used to living in a noisy house and couldn't be bothered to turn around - interestingly, he also has a great concentration span.

geogteach · 21/04/2006 19:28

Just to prove the unreliability of this test my DS passed and was diagnosed as severely deaf at 3. As others have said there are much more reliable tests but having a son who is deaf I would definately take the follow up appointment to get it checked out.

eidsvold · 24/04/2006 01:51

my dd1 had varying results depending on the day, her mood, who was in the room etc. She also had bouts of glue ear which did not help.

Having said that dd1 failed one particular test butheard the choc button packet rustling my bag as I was getting my diary out - almost gave herself whiplash turning her head to see.

She could also hear said packet from rooms away.

I would just monitor him and see what your gut reaction tells you. The fact he ahs a cold and is congested is also not conducive to brilliant hearing.

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