Just found out my dd needs hearing aids

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:13 pm

We just got results back from 2yo dd 's hearing test which show that she has moderate hearing loss. We got her tested because her speech is unclear- many consonants were dropped or exchanged with others. I understand her but most people don't. We really didn't think it was hearing because she understands a lot and can speak sentences. She wasn't even qualified for speech therapy from EI. We only got her hearing tested just to rule it out, before hiring our own therapist.
This came as a real shock to us. Her life will be altered from this point on. Everyone's view of her will be different. This isn't like a cast which will be removed , or a treatment that could heal, its here forever. We didn't tell anyone yet, we are waiting to see an ENT for further information.

I am still absorbing the information, and don't even know what my feelings are. This is the first time I've seen dh really crying.

mom2six

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:15 pm

Big hugs, OP. Have you had her ears checked to see if she has fluid in her ears? In the large majority of cases, toddlers with hearing loss have fluid in their ears, and once that's treated, the hearing returns to normal range.

Dolly Welsh

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:15 pm

It is very hard.

Hugs.

I knew some women like that and some were married and some were not. They all had good lives. They were all nice, educated, highly functional, and did exactly what they wanted in life. But nobody needs this.

Hugs.

Last edited by Dolly Welsh on Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:26 pm; edited 1 time in total

yo'ma

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:18 pm

What's EI? When my ds was first evaluated for speech, he was given a hearing test to rule that out.

Whatever your feelings are remember to be positive with her, which I'm sure you already know you should be. And your dh, too.

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:26 pm

Wow that Is so hard op. I'm so sorry you are going through this. My baby failed his hearing test as a newborn in the hospital (in one ear). I was sooo worried. branch Hashem in the end his hearing was good but the fear inside me. All we want is for our children to to be healthy happy and whole. I imagine this is very hard! I wish you much hatzlocHa and siata dishmaya!! Hug

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 3:33 pm

Has your DD seen an ENT at all?

Please make sure to go to a good ENT and find out what is causing the moderate hearing loss.

I don't know which area you are living but if you are in the NY area please call echo and get from them the names of top pediatric ENT's who deal with this.

Hatzlacha and all should be good for your child.

nyer1

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 4:01 pm

my FIL is an audiologist and my husband sells hearing aids... my husband only works with geriatrics with regards to sales so im not trying to get business from you, but if you have any questions feel free to PM me and I can get you in touch. im sure they each could recommend someone or at the very least put u at ease with any concerns you have. hatzlacha

Runner18

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 4:03 pm

As a kid who was about 70% deaf, I hear your pain. I was able to get tubes and was able to catch up in terms of development. I never wore hearing aids, but I definitely felt different.

I don't know your daughter's prognosis, but I am davening that she should be able to be a normal, functioning kid. Try to stay in the here-and-now and not obsess too much (I.e. how is she gonna get married). Thank god medical technology has made amazing strides, and even if she does have to always wear hearing aids, I know several beautiful, high functioning women who wear hearing aids and are married to wonderful men who adore them.

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 6:47 pm

Hugs to you OP, nws like that is very rattling.

My dc also failed the hearing test at 2 yr old, almost 10 yrs ago. Feel free to ask any questions. If in NY I can also tell you who we used for what.

Don't jump to conclusions either. It can be caused by many things to fail a hearing test. Also if the speech and communication is that good, really don't despair. You need a repeat hearing test done by someone known to be the best. You need a good ENT as well.

Fluid can cause a failed hearing test. Flying can temporarily make it look worse than it is. There are many many things. A not so good tester can show the hearing not exactly accurately too.

21young

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 8:51 pm

Hugs OP, stay strong. This is a real blow, but whatever happens, you will come out stronger.

My child is hearing impaired and he is now almost 3, wears hearing aids, and is developing beautifully, b"h!

Not to give you false hope, but hearing tests are often wrong, they are very unpredictable. Her hearing could be better or worse than they think. Feel free to PM me for info about which audiologists and ENTs are the best, I've done tons of research and you don't want to waste time at the wrong Dr.

It's also important to address the emotional aspect if she is indeed hearing impaired. I have found it really helpful to speak with other mothers of hearing impaired children.

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 9:05 pm

Hi OP,

This must be devastating for you and your family to hear.

I am an SLP working with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing and wanted to tell you that there is so much hope and resources for children who have a hearing loss. You must have so many questions since finding out about your child's hearing loss. It's so difficult to hear something like this, especially when it was something so unexpected. I would be more than happy to speak with you, give you any and all information you need, and answer any questions that you may have, if you're interested.

If you're interested, I can set up an e-mail account for us to correspond.

You, your family and your precious little one are in my thoughts. With appropriate amplification and services, your child can learn to listen and speak and be at the same developmental level as all of her peers.

(I don't work as a private therapist - just genuinely want to help)

the world's best mom

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 9:37 pm

My baby also has hearing loss. It was devastating to find out. Are you sure that it is not conductive hearing loss, caused by ear fluid? I think in most cases it is, and ear tubes correct it easily.

amother

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 11:18 pm

OP here. Thank you all for your help and support.
We went to an ENT with the test results. He said we have to work on figuring out what is wrong but right now she needs to start with the hearing aids. She passed the tests at birth, and she speaks (unclearly thought) which means she somehow acquired this hearing loss between now and then. We have to do further testing to see whats going on. The loss is sensorimotor, so its not caused by fluid.

The dr. said that there can be a possibility of it being reversible, so we will try that route too.

21young

Mon, Jan 28 2013, 11:51 pm

amother wrote:

You mean sensorineural. Did you do an ABR or a behavioral test? Behavioral tests are very unreliable, and even an ABR has to be done by a really good audiologist in order to get the right readings. PLEASE ask whoever you can to make sure you have the right Dr., I want to save you lots of heartache that I went through. Even though it's sensorineural hearing loss she may have fluid in her ears which is making the loss worse. Fluid can play a very important role in the diagnosis and treatment.

m in Israel

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 3:10 am

I definitely feel for you. But try not to panic. There are so many options available today for kids with hearing impairment. Although it is not yet viewed like this, in actuality many cases this is simply like the many of us who are vision impaired and wear glasses. Unfortunately for some reason hearing aids bring much more stigma in our society than glasses, but if you think about it the concept is very similar. In many cases proper aiding can bring a child to a completely normal level of functioning.

I have two close relatives with significant hearing loss who are both happily married and very successful with their lives overall. Their spouses had no issue with their hearing aids and neither do their kids, friends or bosses! Yes, growing up they went through some sensitive times, but they came through very well, B"H.

I am also closely related to one of the top audiologists in the NY area. If you want her contact information, or any other information I may be able to give you, feel free to PM me.

Hatzlacha Rabbah!

FranticFrummie

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 4:22 am

When my DD was 5, she had severe hearing loss(or so we thought) and then we took her tonsils out. While she was in surgery they put in ear tubes, and her hearing came back 100%! When she was in the recovery room, she asked that the TV be turned down because it was "too loud". I never thought I'd see the day! shock

BTW, age 2 seems awfully young to make a full diagnosis like that. Allergies, stuffy nose, ear infections can all mimic hearing loss. Most kids don't even start speaking clearly until 3 or even 4 years old.

I had an extremely high fever when I was 3, and it caused nerve damage in my hears. I lost almost 90% hearing in my left ear, and 65% in my right ear. Without anyone trying to help me, I ended up teaching myself how to lip read. My biggest pet peeve is when people talk to me from another room, or with their back to me. If I can't see them, I can't "hear" them. Now I joke that I'm completely deaf without my glasses! LOL

None of this has stopped me from having a completely normal life (if you can call me "normal" Wink

). It's actually the very least of my worries. I just consider it a mild annoyance, at best.

amother

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 9:20 am

amother wrote:

My ds's also was said to be sensorineural, though mild to moderate. His fluctuates quite a bit though (very unusual), I still don't know if it is the different testers or his hearing. The hearing severely impacts learning so if a good ent said use hearing aids for now, I would. But from a childs point of view the more expensive ones that come in awesome colors and look like cel phone ear peices are psychologically usually making kids feel less awkward about it in my limited experience, even privelaged to own a grownup looking electronic device...

amother

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 10:29 am

Hi! I'm really sorry for what you are going through. I used to work for an organization in Flatbush called Haazinu. Check out their website haazinu.org.

Moshe yaroslawitz runs the organization and I personally saw him help hundreds of people. I wasn't in touch with them for about 5 years, but I know they did great work. He has amazing connections to doctors, therapists, audiologists...at times they also had funding to help pay for things, but his experience is what's really helpful. He himself has a daughter who had severe hearing losses. She got a cochlear implant and is now married with children bh.

I really think you should give him a call. Leave a message that your daughter was just diagnosed and I'm sure he will call back. He used to spend hours on the phone helping people. It seems like they got a new phone number 718-431-0300. Good luck!

madys

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 12:07 pm

Hi - My son also wears hearing aids. He has a mild/moderate sensorineural hearing loss.

His 9th birthday is next week and he is in 3rd grade. He has been in a regular yeshiva, in regular classes since nursery school. All the other kids know he has them (not easy to hide on a boy with short hair) and he has NEVER been teased or suffered any becuase of them.

They really help him, also the teachers wear a microphone, and he has a receiver in his hearing aids and it's as if the teacher is sitting right next to him.

If a child need to see better, you get glasses. To hear better, you get hearing aids.

There really isn't a stigma on them.

I know this is a difficult time for you. It was very difficult for me too in the beginning, not knowing if my son will succeed. I just want to let you know from my perspective as having walked down the road you are now on, that your daughter will I"h be fine!!!

finallyamommy

Tue, Jan 29 2013, 12:25 pm

OP, I have moderate/severe hearing loss in both ears. I also didn't speak clearly (didn't speak at all until age 2!), and they didn't figure out why until I was 5, at which point I got hearing aids. I caught up on my own, apparently--never had speech therapy or anything. Now I live a totally normal life, except that I am not 100% comfortable speaking with strangers on the telephone. Your daughter, if in fact she does have hearing loss (as others have said, it may not be permanent), has an excellent chance of a normal life. Also, hearing aids don't have to be so obvious; they make them smaller now and even if you get the behind-the-ear kind, nobody will know when her hair is down.

Feel free to PM me with questions.