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Child lies about hearing

2 replies

AdelaofBlois · 08/12/2010 21:40

DS has speech disorder and seemingly intermittent hearing loss (heavy colds, wax build up, glue ear). We are due to have another ENT/ paed audiometry appointment early next year.

But DS (3.4) lies about hearing all the time, and am at my wits end. If I mute the TV he says he can hear, if I turn it up he claims its too quiet. If I ask him what is being said he tells me what he can see, but equally he is picking up phrases which he mimics well. He will try to please, so if I myself lie and say I'm turning something down when I'm not he says he now can't hear.

Have tried playing games where I make animal noises and he has to guess without looking, and being louder and quieter, which he will do (responds only when loud), but will lie immediately if asked directly.

I've tried explaining why we need him to be truthful, but he then says his ears hurt, which we knew.

Anyone else had this? Am very afraid he will not give any results worth using at test, and we will be stuck for another 6 months.

OP posts:
purplepidjbauble · 08/12/2010 21:50

Have you looked into Auditory processing? Could it be that his brain doesn't process sound correctly, and rather than hearing "loss" he just hears differently to the rest of us?

I have no idea if that can happen with hearing, but it can happen with touch and sight so I'm speculating...

IndigoBell · 08/12/2010 22:26

The ENT test should do a test that can't be faked. ie make sure DS can't see what he does.

I think lying about hearing is very common and the ENT guy should totally test properly - especially if you tell him you suspect DS will lie.

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