3 year old failed hearing test at audiologist

amother

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 10:44 am

One side fine other side not. Some fluid in one ear too. ENT wants to repeat the hearing test in 6 weeks and if there’s no difference she mentioned wanting to do sedated ABR. Anyone have experienced the same with a child? Is this a typical route?

Eisheschayil123

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 10:49 am

One step at a time. 1st repeat the test and see if fluid is still there. Not rushing to do Abr unless there's reason to believe that there are other issues other than fluid in the middle ear. How bad is the hearing loss currently?

amother

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 10:53 am

Eisheschayil123 wrote:

I have no idea, we didn’t think there’s real hearing loss and rather more of a behavioral aspect. She’s not had any ear infections or maybe just a handful as a baby. What would an ABR show?

amother

Wheat

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 11:05 am

amother OP wrote:

Why can’t they do an unsedated abr? Where you located?

synthy

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 11:07 am

When I was 4 years old, we had a hearing test in school. They put me on headphones with the quietest music playing, and asked me if a can hear it. I tried to identify the song but even after they raised the volume I couldn’t, so I said I don’t hear the song. I failed the test…

amother

DarkGreen

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 11:22 am

synthy wrote:

That is adorable. How long did it take your parents to figure out what had happened?

amother

Whitesmoke

Fri, Jan 19 2024, 12:29 pm

Where are you located? Make sure you have an audiologist who is really good with children, not all are the same when so much of reading the responses is interpreting behavior/reactions.
I do know people who have done abr without sedation but take one thing at a time.

Brit in Israel

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 10:00 am

My 4 year old failed her test with 25% hearing.
We were shocked as we only did the test so that she can have an assessment for OT/SpT since her substitute ganenet put in a file.

We went to an amazing ENT who treated her with antihistamine medicine for fluid. We kept on checking and the results were getting better.

2 yrs later this week she had a hearing test in school and pasted with out any problems.

Roots

Sat, Jan 20 2024, 10:05 am

my son has one sided hearing loss
(I got cmv when I was pregnant and that ruined his ear)
first of all- if she hears well in 1 ear thats great! really. my son is in school already and is BH doing beautifully.
When she was a baby- before you are discharged from the hospital, did they do a hear screening test?- did she pass that then? would you remember? (my son didnt and we did the abr at 3 months when their sleep is strong enough )
since she is small and they need to check each ear seperately its the most accurate test they can do
the other option is to put her in a sound proof room with earphones in the good ear with an annoying static sound buzzing inside and then proceed to tell her to [point to different toys or tell her what color bead to put where] and then they test at what level the 'bad' ear responds. but its less accurate cuz sometimes the good ear really helps them pick up what the bad ear is missing
feel free to ask any questions if you might have

Eisheschayil123

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 9:52 am

OP, to answer your question about the ABR here is the explanation of what the ABR is for:

About the ABR

Your ear is made up of three parts—the outer, the middle, and the inner ear. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) test tells us how the inner ear, called the cochlea, and the brain pathways for hearing are working. You may also hear it called an auditory evoked potential (AEP).

The test is used with children or others who cannot complete a typical hearing screening. The ABR is also used if your symptoms might be due to hearing loss in the brain or in a brain pathway.

The ABR will give a good look at the whole ear and determine if your child is hearing well, and if there is an issue in any part of the ear, not just the middle ear which may/may not have fluid, thereby preventing your child from hearing.
I think a retesting the hearing in 6 weeks will give you more information. Plan B is the ABR, so relax in the meantime.

tryinghard

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 10:24 am

amother Wheat wrote:

Why can’t they do an unsedated abr? Where you located?

ABR is done in an unconscious state. Up to about 6 weeks of age they can have you put the baby to sleep in the office and run the test they way but older than that it’s pretty difficult to make sure the kid will be asleep so they go with sedation.

amother

Whitesmoke

Sun, Jan 21 2024, 10:27 am

tryinghard wrote:

I know someone who did it with a 2/3 year old and gave them Benadryl to make them sleepy but you need an audiologist who will try