DS (5) doesn't seem to hear well but hearing test showed no problems

[highlandholiday]

Both family and school noticed before Christmas that ds didn't seem to be hearing us-constantly saying 'pardon', having to have things repeated, Tv on loud, not following instructions, misspelling words in spelling 'tests' etc.
Arranged hearing test but apparently there are no issues.
Dr also said there's no build up of wax or any visible problems.
But I spend all day repeating what I've said loudly and facing him.

I accept he may sometimes be choosing not to listen especially in school etc and sometimes he says pardon when he doesn't understand something rather than doesn't hear but I've just walked home from school run talking to my friends little boy and the difference is marked-We could easliy hold a conversation without stopping or shouting.

Any ideas? I think I'm more worried now than when we thought it was a hearing issue!!

Has the 'pardon' thing become a habit and really he's just not listening properly? I had a friend do this and I just stopped repeating myself. They got the message and would then say pardon, get silence from me, then answer me. It was clear they had actually heard me, it was just a weird habit.

Yes i wonder if it has. I have tried not repeating myself but he just says pardon again but will try again. Sometimes I say 'what do you think I said?' and sometimes he gets it and sometimes doesn't.

He's also adamant he can't hear the tv or his CD player.

My DS1 is like this, I had him tested, hearing normal, he has a problem with concentration and working memory and finds following verbal instructions difficult, actually I do too, I am awful with verbal directions, fine with maps etc. He still has the telly on far too loud to block out back ground noise to help concentration but at least he no longer sits right in front of it now.

Is he in reception? If so, they do a hearing screening programme, so at least he'll be retested.

I have to say my son does have a hearing loss ( just in one ear) and some of the things you describe sound a bit like him, so I wouldn't rule out a hearing problem just yet.

Did they consider auditory processing disorder?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/auditory-processing-disorder/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Yes he is in reception but this test was arranged by the school so I don't know if they get another one. The dr said to take him back if it got any worse which it hasn't but neither has it improved.

The auditory processing disorder ticks boxes-I will explore that further thank you

DS1 was very much like this (and still is). I had hearing problems as a child so I was convinced he had inherited this from me. His hearing tests have all come back that he has perfect hearing though, which was very frustrating!

Turns out he has some auditory processing difficulties. He can hear things fine, but struggles to pay attention sometimes (especially if there's background noise). He has dyspraxia and even when he pays attention, he then struggles to retain information sometimes and finds it very hard to follow a series of instructions as he can't remember them half way through.

If you aren't happy that all is well, go back to your GP and ask for him to be referred for further assessment.

No suggestions other than he is practicing for being a man. .

I would arrange another hearing test - really push the GP and go with him to an audiologist or nurse. If it is hearing, it will really affect speech development and learning.

I would think that one possible explanation would be glue ear (build up of fluid in middle ear, usually after a cold) . Ds1 suffered with this and it causes hearing loss that comes and goes. But an examination by an audiologist would be a good start.

I have consciously tried not to repeat myself when he says pardon since I collected him from school and I have to say that at least half of the time he has responded appropriately which lends weight to the 'habit' theory.

There is a phone number on the hearing test report so I'll follow it up with them first but i think/hope it may be that I just need to help him remember to actively listen.

I would follow up with a further hearing test. Not saying this is the case here but we had a child in school who passed the Y1 hearing test who was found to be profoundly deaf 2 years later - not a deteriorating condition apparently. So I don't think the test is foolproof!

Otherwise check working memory/auditory processing as these could affect him, particularly at school, when there is lots going on around him.

Yes, do look into auditory processing disorder - they can hear fine but can not organise what they hear to make quick sense of it and so can appear to have not heard as often need information repeating. My daughter was diagnosed via GOSH, I think the lower age for testing may be 6-7yrs though. In her case looking very specifically at things she finds it hard to determine where a sound comes from directionally, she also finds it very hard to filter out background noise so this is given as much priority as a conversation in her brain and she loses vital information from the conversation. She separately has language processing issues so then finds it hard to fill in the gaps, where as many children may miss part of a word but can logically fill in the gap to make sense of the subject they were hearing about.