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Premature birth

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Original poster

Premature baby failed hearing tests and not reacting to sounds

32 replies

Mkr1987 · 18/04/2025 17:29

Hello,

I have a beautiful baby boy who was born at 31 weeks. He failed his hearing test test at discharge ( 3 weeks old) and we are currently awaiting an audiology appointement ( in May when he was originally due to be born ).
he doesn’t seem to react to any of the sounds, which worries me extremely …

does anyone have similar experiences ?

He is now 5weeks…

OP posts:
ParsnipPuree · 18/04/2025 17:34

Of course you’re worried. Your beautiful baby boy will be fine though. Even in the worst case scenario where he doesn’t have hearing, he can have cochlear implants at 9 months and he will have a normal life with them. I say this as a cochlear implant wearer.

romdowa · 18/04/2025 17:36

Did they say if its sensory neural or conductive? My son had conductive hearing loss at birth and got a hearing aid at 15 months and then grommets at 20 months. It didn't affect him in any way

Original poster
Mkr1987 · 18/04/2025 17:39

.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mkr1987 · 18/04/2025 17:40

ParsnipPuree · 18/04/2025 17:34

Of course you’re worried. Your beautiful baby boy will be fine though. Even in the worst case scenario where he doesn’t have hearing, he can have cochlear implants at 9 months and he will have a normal life with them. I say this as a cochlear implant wearer.

I have been doing plenty of research already. It is just so overwhelming, and makes it so much more difficult that we have already been though so much and I cannot stop thinking he would never hear my voice …

OP posts:
Original poster
Mkr1987 · 18/04/2025 17:43

romdowa · 18/04/2025 17:36

Did they say if its sensory neural or conductive? My son had conductive hearing loss at birth and got a hearing aid at 15 months and then grommets at 20 months. It didn't affect him in any way

We still don’t know for sure, waiting for the in depth audiology testing beginning of May…

I am so happy for you that your little one is doing so well. Must have been so much work and worry along the way …

OP posts:
PetrovaRabbit · 18/04/2025 17:45

Sound is movement - vibrations.
Hold him against your upper chest and he we be able to feel your voice, even if he can’t hear it or can’t hear well enough to react to the hearing test.

romdowa · 18/04/2025 18:11

Mkr1987 · 18/04/2025 17:43

We still don’t know for sure, waiting for the in depth audiology testing beginning of May…

I am so happy for you that your little one is doing so well. Must have been so much work and worry along the way …

Show quote history

They can usually tell from the new born screening one but I'll keep everything crossed that it's just some glue ear. It can he common with a section and the fluid can clear after a while

Phillipa12 · 18/04/2025 18:50

My dc1 failed his newborn screening. He has a moderate bilateral hearing loss and wears hearing aids. Dc1 is now 16 and just about to sit his GCSE's. He has never had any speech delay, his nursery, primary and secondary school have all gone above and beyond to help him if he has struggled, he was the first child at his secondary with a hearing loss, there are now 6 children with aids/cochlears. He has also never had any other child point out or say anything mean to him because of his aids. He did however forget to take them out of his trackie pockets yesterday and I spotted them in the washing machine while it was on the spin cycle....
What I'm trying to say is, a hearing impairment although terrifying and overwhelming to start with, is not. You have already been through a lot, this is another bump that you can also deal with.
A very good website for info is NDCS (national deaf children's society)

changednamee · 18/04/2025 19:06

My friends baby failed her hearing test, she has no hearing impairment

HarryVanderspeigle · 18/04/2025 19:21

I can see that this is scary for you as a hearing person, but if your baby is deaf it is simply something he will never experience so can't miss. I would suggest learning sign language even if you go down the implant route, so he can access the deaf community in their own language. There are tons of online resources, or zoom tutors. Make sure you learn British sign, as difficulties countries tend to have different signs.

Matthew54 · 20/04/2025 08:27

Hi, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I just want you to know I have two deaf friends who lead absolutely fantastic lives with the aid of implants. Their lives are different but certainly not limited.

Original poster
Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 15:29

Matthew54 · 20/04/2025 08:27

Hi, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I just want you to know I have two deaf friends who lead absolutely fantastic lives with the aid of implants. Their lives are different but certainly not limited.

Thank you for this !
can I ask how did you cope with the situation ?
I am struggling with extreme anxiety and I cannot stop thinking about it . I put a mask on in the day, to function around my family but inside I am just crumbling…

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Zeitumschaltung · 20/04/2025 15:59

My daughter had some hearing loss and is much more visual as a result. Even if he can’t hear you, you will have an important connection through sight and touch.
(And he may well pass the next hearing test. My premie passed the hearing tests but didn’t react to anything until his due date. He just slept.)

Isittimeforbedyet1 · 20/04/2025 16:08

My DC failed their newborn hearing test twice but then passed with flying colours at audiology, so it might be fine :) best of luck!

Matthew54 · 20/04/2025 16:23

Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 15:29

Thank you for this !
can I ask how did you cope with the situation ?
I am struggling with extreme anxiety and I cannot stop thinking about it . I put a mask on in the day, to function around my family but inside I am just crumbling…

Show quote history

So it was my friends, not me. But it’s totally okay to be falling apart! This is huge. I just wanted to reach out to let you know that my friends who had profound deafness at birth or developed it as children are doing so, so well now. Life won’t stop for your baby because of this.

Rtmhwales · 20/04/2025 17:12

While I don’t know how it’ll turn out for you, DS was born at 31+6 and also failed his hearing test when he went home at 35+0. He didn’t appear to hear in the next couple months, didn’t react to sounds at all. And then suddenly a couple weeks past his due date he just woke up, for lack of a better term, and started responding. He’s nearly 7 now and hears very well, unless it’s telling him to go to bed or take a shower.

Original poster
Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 18:39

Rtmhwales · 20/04/2025 17:12

While I don’t know how it’ll turn out for you, DS was born at 31+6 and also failed his hearing test when he went home at 35+0. He didn’t appear to hear in the next couple months, didn’t react to sounds at all. And then suddenly a couple weeks past his due date he just woke up, for lack of a better term, and started responding. He’s nearly 7 now and hears very well, unless it’s telling him to go to bed or take a shower.

that is so heartwarming! thank you for sharing.

I really hope, my DS just wakes up and starts responding to sounds. Did you have an audiology follow up ? What did they say?

OP posts:
Original poster
Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 18:41

Isittimeforbedyet1 · 20/04/2025 16:08

My DC failed their newborn hearing test twice but then passed with flying colours at audiology, so it might be fine :) best of luck!

thank you for replying !
Did you see any signs of reacting to sounds ? I am most worried that my DS doesn’t seem to be reacting to them at all …

OP posts:
Isittimeforbedyet1 · 20/04/2025 18:52

Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 18:41

thank you for replying !
Did you see any signs of reacting to sounds ? I am most worried that my DS doesn’t seem to be reacting to them at all …

Show quote history

Not really, we drove ourselves mad trying to make them react!

Original poster
Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 18:58

Isittimeforbedyet1 · 20/04/2025 18:52

Not really, we drove ourselves mad trying to make them react!

Show quote history

that gives me hope ! X

OP posts:
Hercisback1 · 20/04/2025 19:00

I also want to add that even if he does have hearing loss, the technology now to deal with it is AMAZING. He will likely grow up able to lip read too which is a bit of a super power. Whatever life turns out like, you will cope.

1543click · 20/04/2025 19:15

My niece failed her newborn hearing test in both ears. She appeared to hear nothing, not her noisy siblings ,or the bangs and crashes we kept making right by her ears.
She woke up to sounds a few weeks after her birth and passed subsequent hearing tests.

Original poster
Mkr1987 · 20/04/2025 19:25

1543click · 20/04/2025 19:15

My niece failed her newborn hearing test in both ears. She appeared to hear nothing, not her noisy siblings ,or the bangs and crashes we kept making right by her ears.
She woke up to sounds a few weeks after her birth and passed subsequent hearing tests.

I have a very loud 6yo, and my DS doesn’t react to anything either… I started being paranoid watching him reacting to anything either noise we make, that I hate hoovering, as I don’t seem to get him to react to it…

OP posts:
1543click · 20/04/2025 19:34

She was exactly the same, and we were concerned, but it was completely OK in the end. I hope its the same for you.
But as others have said there is alot that can be done now. We had started researching.

Strictlymad · 20/04/2025 19:39

im so sorry you are going through this- newborn stress is hard enough! Firstly your baby is going amazing to be discharged after 3 weeks when born at 31! My 34 weeker was in 3 weeks. He passed the newborn test, but contracted meningitis aged 8 weeks and we were told to expect hearing loss. He did not react to sounds, didn’t turn his head etc. didn’t even flinch at a burst balloon. But at the in depth appointment (the one you have booked) all was absolutely fine. Btw tip for the appointment- take baby tired, it works better if they sleep through it