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Children's health

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Original poster

Hearing test needed?

3 replies

mincepiemadness · 15/12/2008 21:27

DD (age 3.5) had fairly frequent ear infections as a baby which stopped around 18 months of age. Recently she had a bad cold and her eardrum perforated (lots of gunk but no pain). However, I've noticed she is asking me to repeat things a lot, seems to 'lipread' and when she turns away she can't make out quiet words. She is also quite 'loud'. I'm not sure this is directly related to the ear infection, think perhaps this has been going on for a while. None of the teachers at playgroup have commented but my mum has noticed.

Is it time for a hearing test or should I give it longer for her eardrum to heal (although hearing seems impaired in both ears)? Her hearing test at birth was normal.

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Reallytired · 15/12/2008 21:53

My son has had a lot of perforations and it can take time for them to heal. He has experienced nine perforations of his ear drums and has some mild hearing loss. He used to have severe glue ear and did have hearing aids. However we gave back his hearing aids when his hearing levels improved. His hearing is boarderline, but he copes without hearing aids.

I would ask for a hearing test as she might have glue ear. Make sure you get a referal to a paediatric audiologist so she gets a child friendly hearing test. You will probably have quite a wait until she gets her hearing test as the NHS does not employ enough audiologists. If she passes her hearing test you haven't lost anything.

When my son was three and half years old the local ENT department tried to give him an adult hearing test. The poor mite didn't have a clue what to do with the buzzer and screamed at the thought of going in a soundproof cubicle on his own.

HannukArabica · 16/12/2008 02:15

Definitely have a hearing test--a paediatric one!

HannukArabica · 16/12/2008 02:22

The hearing test result at birth is irrelevant BTW--if she has glue ear it means fluid has accumulated over time. The fluid can either drain off by itself (in which case hearing will revert back to normal) or hang around and cause hearing impairment. DD had a hearing loss caused by glue: she had grommets fitted in April (which help the 'glue' to clear away) and her hearing is now at normal levels.

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