Opinions - Hearing aid for DD or not? My mother is casting doubt over things....(again)

[VeniVidiVickiQV]

We've discovered that (amongst other things) DD has moderate hearing loss.

After grommets being put in for Glue Ear didnt improve her hearing, she was referred to the local audiology clinic for further hearing tests, and on Monday morning we went along.

The tests came back with pretty much the same results as 3 months ago, and 6 months ago (pre grommets).

She has a slight loss in the lower pitch tones so nothing to worry about, but, moderate hearing loss in the higher end of the scale, which is worse in her right ear.

The Dr asked if I thought a hearing aid would help her. I think yes. She's in a busy environment at school, her teachers are female as is the headmistress (higher pitch voices - she doesnt hear me well but does hear DH okay). All her classmates have voices at the higher pitch end of the range etc. I think she'd benefit - particularly in a classroom environment.

It was also discovered on Monday that she appears to be compensating somewhat because when he asked her (in a soft voice) about what the pictures on cars showed, she was able to answer and understand. However, when I pointed out that I felt she was lip-reading, he came and sat beside us and instantly she started to not answer or respond, or, couldnt understand the request, or got the answer wrong.

Now, As I said, I feel she can only benefit from having a hearing aid.

My mum (who also has moderate to severe hearing loss and is reluctant to use a hearing aid although she has just got one for the 4th time in her life), thinks it's too early, and, that giving DD a hearing aid could make her too 'accustomed' to hearing various things and that if it broke, or she took it off it'd be like being shut in a soundproof room for her (my mothers experience).

What do you all think?

(and thank you if you have managed to read through my ramblings thus far!).

Run Rabbit, run rabbit, run, run,run.

LGJ. Manners....? on MN? nah, fire away

Thank you everyone.

geogteach, if DD's hearing did get worse, I'd imagine my mother saying that it was because of the hearing aids that its got worse, because she'll have got to rely on the aids.

My mum's latest hearing aid is a brand new, digital thing. She's had it a ocuple of weeks and she's worn it a handful of times. It's only because I had a sneaky word with FIL to extol the virtues of his hearing aids that she went back again to have another one fitted.

LL, it wouldnt surprise me if she didnt give DD the 'benefit of her wisdom' on hearing aids.

I have heard this from parents before who think that having a hearing aid makes you reliant on them and that it makes you a "lazy" listener.

What a load of rubbish!

A child with a moderate hearing loss would struggle to hear in a class setting and socially out in the playground.

Why not make life easier for her if there is the option. SHe will not have to concentrate so hard on trying to make out what the teacher is saying or be so reliant on lip reading.

Modern digital hearing aids are wonderful and can be set up for different environments. An other option for later if she gets on well with a HA would be to consider an FM system for school. This would help her with listening further in school and research shows that these are particularly useful for moderate hearing losses.(Your local peri teacher of the deaf should be able to set her up with one of these.)
Good luck.

Thanks smartie.

Whats a peri teacher?

The local authority will have peripatetic (travelling ) teachers of the deaf who visit schools to offer support to hearing impaired children, check on their needs, advise teachers, set up special programmes and look into audiological resources that may be useful. I expect the SENCO at your dds school would know who to contact. If not ask someone at the audiology dept at your hospital.

Please, please, please, please get her a hearing aid.

The social isolation of deafness is horrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I'm profoundly deaf (and now have a cochlear implant), but I wore a hearing aid for many years. They have their drawbacks but they keep you in touch with the world and that is priceless.

Hearing aids make naughty five year olds more obedient.

I think that part of the problem with your mum is that she KNOWS what its like to have proper hearing. With her hearing aids she is comparing what she hears with what its like to have perfect hearing. Digital hearing aids do not give the users perfect hearing as all they can do is amplify the hearing that is left.

It takes quite a lot of persistance to get a child to wear hearing aids. They have to get used to the sensation of being able to hear. For example my son complained that he could hear himself eating!

smartiejake, how severe does the hearing loss have to be for a child to have TOD? My son does not have a TOD at the moment even though he wears hearing aids. He has a hearing loss in both ears of about 25 to 40 db depending on the frequency. He seems to be getting on quite well at school with the soundfield system and his digital hearing aids. What benefit would a TOD give him?

I wear my glasses because no matter how much I tried I wouldn't be able to see long-distance. It's not for lack of trying or laziness on my behalf. Hearing loss is similar from this p.o.v.

DS's TOD sees his class teacher once a week. They go through the lesons for the week ahead and she advises whether some of the teaching could be done differently, to make it easier for my son to follow, e.g. to include more visual aids, to ensure exercises have written instructions too, not just verbal. She also tests his language once or twice a year to make sure he's on track for language development.

My dd had deafness due to glue ear once the grommits did their job her confidence soared at school she became like a different child so yes loss of hearing is very isolating.

I have a HA and I dont like it. I am 31 and very self conscious. I would imagine that if you dd had one now that if her hearing deteriated in the future she would be used to wearing them and all her friends and family would be aware she has them. It has been awful (and still is) telling people I wear them but hearing from people who have worn them all their life it seems they become more confident and it is not at all an issue to them.
I would also recommend them as they will help your daughter learning as you may not be aware what she is already missing. I found new sounds so strange abd realised what I had missed.
I have also heard that there is a possibility that hearing aids re connect the system and the brain starts to learn to pick up sounds again and maybe some people will start to hear again (not sure if this is true but I am hoping it is) had my last hearing test and it was slightly better than the last but that may have been a fluke! Hearing aids are different to glasses as glasses help to zoom in to view but hearing aids (digital anyway) are meant to reconnect the sound system. They do not make hearing worse like glasses are meant to make eyes lazy and stop working.

Anyway, hopefully you will make a decision but it is important to give them a try and see how your dd feels. It may be interesting to see how she does and see what she has been missing.

Good luck

Glasses don't make your eyes lazy and stop working. What an idea!

AFAIK the only time hearing was restored to any degree was in cases of wrong diagnosis in the first place.

Hearing aids, do not improve hearing. but they do improve auditory perception.

Also conductive hearing loss often varies considerally. My son has a hearing test every three to four months and his hearing aids are adjusted.

I heard through research that with glasses they do the work for you and your eyes become lazy. I am not saying its true only what was said in some research. I dont wear them so have no idea what is true. Have been seeing a hearing therapist and spoken to alot of people about hearing aids though and heard from afew that they send the signals back to help the brain remember the sounds.
My hearing therapist does not wear her aid anymore and says that they have improved her hearing.

I dont know the facts, I only know what I have been told or heard.

Thanks everyone

I'll definitely pursue it, but, when someone who does have hearing loss gives me an alternate POV it makes me wonder. But, then again, this is my mother we are talking about

RT - conductive hearing loss - that's through things such as glue ear etc yes?

Really tired. It depends on the HI child's needs as to how much a ToD gets involved. If the child is doing well at school then the only involvement a ToD might have would be as an advisor to the school to make sure the class teachers are aware of the difficulties faced by HI kids and things they can do to help.Also making sure that they have access to a good listening environment( It sounds as if your son has this if he has a SF system) If your son has a mild/ moderate loss and is doing well academically, it is unlikely a ToD would be involved.

For children who struggle and if they are on the special needs register at a school a ToD might get involved with helping to plan appropriate work particularly with language skills.

Jemwa- sorry but I have never heard of a hearing aid helping the ear to reconnect with the brain. Additional conductive hearing loss due to a cold which then improves may make hearing appear to improve. Sensory neural hearing losses do not tend to improve.

Conductive hearing loss can be glue ear, but it can be caused by scarring to the ear drum, damage to the little bones in the ear, some medical conditions cause growths in the ears that stop vibrations passing to the cochelar.

My son's cochelar is in perfect condition, he passed his bone conduction test with flying colours. Unfortunately both his ear drums are very heavily scarred.

Right.

Because DD had a test at the hospital (similar to the newborn test they do??) which indicated that her hearing wasnt likely to be conductive, but to do with the electrical centre (they were being exceptionally vague, and trying to dumb down the explanation despite my probing!)