Failed Hearing Test

[EatDessertFirst]

My DD5 failed a hearing test at school today. The letter stated that 'the test was incomplete due to lack of understanding'. I have made an appointment with the GP for Monday as recommended.

I'm trying not to be PFB about this whole thing but, firstly, I genuinely don't believe she has an issue with her hearing. She was an early talker and her speech is perfect. She is in top sets for reading and writing. Secondly, I don't totally believe she 'lacked understanding'. She was able to tell me how the test was carried out. I don't know whether to enquire at the school for further detail (e.g. how much time allocated to each child etc) before dragging her to a doctors appointment.

Anyone else had this experience? Should I just follow procedure and cross fingers or ask questions at the school?

It's fairly common. They will simply redo the test to make sure - in proper test conditions

I wouldn't worry too much, DD failed her school test. We were a bit concerned but we arranged an appointment with audiology and she passed with flying colours. The second test was in proper conditions in a soundproofed room.

The best thing is that now we can throw it back in her face "don't you ignore me missy, I know you can hear me the doctor tested you ears!"

You might have to rearrange a few times if DD has a cold, we had to reschedule 3 times, as the test isn't as accurate if they are snotty and sniffly apparently.

xx

I failed a hearing test at school because you had to move a counter every time you heard a beep and I didn't want to spoil the pattern I had made with them so I ignored the last few beeps. I was retested a while later. DD2 failed the baby hearing test multiple times, we ended up being tested in hospital, she was too lazy or uninterested to look round at the person making noises behind her. Neither of us has hearing problems, but if we had it would be better to know.

Thanks for replying BambooBear (loving that name btw!). I think I may be reading a lot into this but I just don't want to do wrong by DD or upset the school by asking the wrong questions.

Time for and .

X-posted.
Thank you for your replies cookie and chemenger for you too!!

Hearing tests at school can be inaccurate for a whole host of reasons. They are a screening tool rather than a diagnostic test - they have just flagged up that maybe your child should have a further test. Perhaps your dd just wasn't cooperating very well today? Not unheard of in a 5yo and as a result it's not uncommon for hearing children to "fail" these school-based tests.

Also worth mentioning that children at this age can be temporarily deaf (google glue ear) so could have great speech. And it is not always apparent that a child is deaf - they may be able to hear some parts of speech much better than others and can often use lip reading and other coping strategies to fill in the blanks.

In the nicest possible way, I would relax about this and just follow it up with your GP and arrange a repeat test under proper conditions as recommended.

I'd just like to add that as a parent of a deaf child, I find parts of your post a bit offensive. My child is really bright but can't hear as well as some of his friends. His reading is great btw.

Hope everything is OK with your dd

Equally my DD had only had 50% hearing till she was 3years old and will always fail a school hearing test. She was an early talker, having a wide vocabulary from a young age as she lip reads perfectly.
Follow procedure see the GP if subsequent hearing test is clear breath and sigh of relief, but don't miss the chance to pick up a potential problem. By far and away my DD's biggest problems are now she can struggle to hear the teacher in a busy classroom unless she is looking at the teacher.

Oh yes meant to add she has always had a reading age far beyond her age, but then I did too with only 50% hearing till I was 11.

To echo some of the comments above, do go to the GP and get another more detailed HTest. My DC's unilateral deafness (partial, one sided) was first flagged up at the same test in school age 5. Prior to that we had no concerns about his hearing as his language and speaking were very good as was his reading age. Starting school & Reception year were extremely tiring for him though, which we now know was likely due to him finding the hearing environment of the busy class very challenging, and he was concentrating very hard all the time to hear the teacher. As he progressed through p school, a range of strategies to accommodate his hearing loss were put in place and he has thrived. Good luck OP.

ShoeWhore Offending anyone wasn't my intent. I have friends with children with speech delay and the first question anyone asks (and I've seen in numerous times on here) is 'have you had their hearing checked?'. I assumed the two were connected having never had first hand experience of this. Obviously this makes me ignorant of other effects/symptoms/conditions etc but that is why I posted here for advice.

Thank you everyone. I'll leave it there before I put both feet in it

Yes if you go to SALT then they like you to have had a hearing test, but speaking well doesn't mean you don't have a hearing problem.

Many parents don't realise they aren't hearing until they fail a hearing test. ENT told me children are very adaptable.
That's why my ds taught himself to lip read, and also that he taught himself to read using subtitles from things he was watching. So actually his reading is very good, probably better for having hearing problems.

Maybe though she wasn't being co-operative. I remember dm taking db for a sight test. He didn't want to go. So when they asked him "which is brighter, the red or the green" he decided he didn't understand (he was 12yo at the time, so no question of this) and so answered randomly, He got his comeupance when this meant they were very concerned so he got a further test-which he co-operated fine for, so came out fine.

And looking at what is said, they haven't said she has a hearing issue-what they've said is that they were unable to rule out a hearing issue because she wouldn't do it properly.

The tests they do in school require cooperation from the child. The ones at audiology are much more thorough. I wouldn't worry.

It is likely DD was uncoperative. She is well-behaved at school but can be stubborn when faced with something new. Thank you again everyone for your replies. I feel much calmer about the whole thing now. Xx

DD was flagged up with low level hearing loss in both ears from the school test. She had to have 6 monthly tests over the next 3 years to monitor it (it was caused by congestion behind her eardrums) and it was worse if she was tested when she had recently had a cold (which 50% of the time resulted in ear infections too!) She grew out of it and it was never bad enough to warrant grommets. She did struggle where there was a lot of background noise

Oh and even she would sometimes not concentrate during the tests as they required her to push a button when she heard a noise! But they also used a special bit of kit that monitors how well the sounds travel through the skull bones too.

My sons hearing loss was picked up on a school test at 6 as well , he also had no speech or language problems and was very bright and articulate . When he was properly assessed it emerged that he had taught himself to lip read ,which is apparently quite common. That said he had a moderate loss in both ears and did wear hearing aids ( invisible ones) until he was 11 when he decided he didn't have a problem and refused to cooperate .

My DS failed this test too! I really worried too (understatement!) the person conducting the test thought he just got bored as he gave up towards the end. However, I was not convinced, as at the time he was also exhibiting some strange behaviour.

Yet, at the same time, I knew he heard the ice cream van from miles away and looked up at birds scratching on the roof etc.

He was tested later at a Hospital, in the correct conditions and a totally different test and he has better hearing than me!

Try no to worry.

Mine 'failed' the eye test in reception. We had to take her to a specialist - turned out I just have a very stubborn child who didn't feel like cooperating.

I talked (in shock!) to her teacher and as the conversation went on, I realised that tests in school are in a less than ideal environment.

Def best to get it checked out - and it'll be by someone who has the right tools to deal with a small child,

my dd has failed the sight test. I am about it apparently we will be sent a hospital appointment. She doesn't seem to have problems seeing anything and dh previously took her to opticians who said her sight was perfect.

My daughter aged 5 failed the hearing test at school last year and as a result was diagnosed with a permanent hearing loss and now wears 2 hearing aids. It also established she wasn't hearing at all well in class and now she has a radio aid is doing so much better.

However, our scenario is different - we were starting to have concerns with her hearing anyway - tv up loud, saying "what" a lot and generally pronounciation of words was poor. She failed newborn hearing screening but we were later told her hearing was ok (distraction testing).

I would get it checked out to put your mind at rest.