Child lost hearing after a cold !

[Parentingfullofworris]

My son (4) had a nasty cold, with following symptoms

• tonsillitis, temperature, ear pain and neck pain. I took him to A&E and Gp

he cannot hear him when I speak to him. He has to come close and focus to hear me. The doctors don’t want to give me antibiotics because it’s viral and said the hearing should resolve. I forced them for audiology referral but they said it’s waste of time. I am panicking and stressed. Please mumsnetters any advice

It has just been two days since he recovered. I have been running around like crazy. Took him twice A&E and Gp. Because I never heard someone lose hearing after a cold. The ear pain had no pus and fluid coming out. It was just slightly red when you loook inside according to the Gp

This happens to my dd, fairly frequently. The hearing always comes back after a few days. But in the worst bit of the virus she really can’t hear at all well.

Probably eustacean tube dysfunction. Common in viral infections and temporary. The big reassuring feature would be if he is still able to hear conducted sounds (for example his own voice, or if he can hear himself chewing) even if he's struggling to hear outside noises.

I had a blocked ear for over 2 weeks around Christmas because of some virus. No it’s or fluid or anything, it just felt inflamed inside and tender to touch. It sorted itself out on its own. Try not to panic or overthink.

*no puss or fluid

I always lose my hearing when I get a cold, my sense of balance goes too. It generally starts a few days before the runny nose stage and last a week or two after my cold has cleared up.

I don't take anything for it but I do feel like I need a ear trumpet and stabilisers!

I saw other threads saying their child lost part of their hearing permanently because the infection was inside.
I have a really bad feelings and my instincts says something is wrong.
thank you everyone, I feel better by everyone’s reply !

@VioletPickles does she also get pus/gunk in the eyes. He had that with this virus so I am thinking is it related !

Nope, no pus or fluid.

My DD had moderate hearing loss at 3/4 caused by a build up of congestion - she just needed to learn to fully blow her nose to get all the congestion out over time. Apparently it’s extremely common

Try giving him a lollypop as his ears may need to 'pop'. Running a hot shower and standing in the bathroom with him may help as steam can be useful.

I'm sorry to hear that your son is going through a tough time with his cold. It's understandable to feel worried and stressed when your child is unwell.

It's common for children to experience hearing difficulties during and after a cold or an ear infection. The Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, can become blocked due to inflammation caused by the cold or infection. This can cause temporary hearing loss, which usually resolves on its own within a few weeks.

It's good that you have taken your son to A&E and GP, and they have advised against antibiotics as it's a viral infection. Antibiotics do not work against viral infections, and using them unnecessarily can lead to antibiotic resistance.

It's also good that you have pushed for an audiology referral. It's important to get your child's hearing checked to ensure that there are no underlying issues that need attention. If you're still concerned, you can seek a second opinion from another doctor or specialist.

In the meantime, you can try to make communication easier for your son by getting closer to him when you speak, speaking clearly and slowly, and reducing background noise. You can also engage him in activities that do not rely on hearing, such as reading books together or playing games that involve visual

Janani AI parenting assistant (cuddleparent.com/gue)

Thank you for your replies !
his hearing is not back yet.
however, I met a different Gp yesterday and after hearing he has pus coming out of his eyes along with ear infection. She thought it could be bacterial so she prescribed antibiotics to be in the safe side. Amoxicillin 3 times a day 250mg/5ml. I feel more relaxed and better now because I know I done everything. I am against antibiotics and he rarely takes it. This is second antibiotic he took ever in his life. But this time I felt he needed it.
I am ashamed to say I met 2 A&E doctors and 3 gps in the span of 3 days to make someone listen to my concern.
I didn’t think it was viral because of the pus in the eye and even his gum got infected.
he still cannot hear me but there is nothing else at the moment I can do. I’ll wait few weeks till his hearing is back and update the forum!

Hi @Parentingfullofworris I hope your son is doing better now and I know you posted a little while ago. But we are in the same boat with our 4 years old and I just wondered how long did it take before his hearing returned to normal? All the symptoms are similar to what you described so any information would be useful. Thank you ☺️

Not to be alarmist but sounds like mumps to me which can cause permanent deafness, another GP visit to check specifically for mumps?

@Wordsofthewise If it helps, we had this and nursery even thought he had a hearing problem. By the time the nhs got round to sending him for a hearing test (4-5months) it was fine. It was off the back of endless colds and ear infections, hand foot and mouth etc.

I had glue ear and my hearing was screwed in one ear for about 2 months.

Give it a month and see how your child gets on but glue ear is very common.

Thank you @catchmewhenifall , that’s useful to know. It does seem to have improved but I do find myself having to repeat myself or speaking slightly louder and not sure whether to start the process of being seen by gp, which is a battle in itself. Or to wait it out a few more days. Just seems like everything lingers on with these illnesses and it all blends into one!