For those that are familiar with toddler hearing tests...

Can you please tell me how they check for hearing on toddlers & if they found your DC to have some hearing loss what did they do? Is it a simple procedure?

My DC is 2years and 4 months and I'd like for him to have his hearing checked. I know for sure he will move around and maybe cry so it might not be accurate that way right? and I'm just wondering if they do tell me that there is some loss what do they do about it?

Re: For those that are familiar with toddler hearing tests...

DS has had a ton of hearig tests (it was determined that he has a very mild impairment). DS is only 3.5 so most of the testing is done while he sleeps.

The main tests for hearing on little ones are the OEA (OAE?) and the ABR.

I know that after DS is 6 months, if he needs more testing it will be another ABR but he will have to be sedated because the older they are the harder it is for them to sleep through the testing and it's very important that they are perfectly still for it (it lasts around 1 hour, depending on how cooperative the kids are).

I would ask your ped for a recommendation for and ENT ped. They'll let you know if your DC needs additional testing.

As far as what will need to be done IF they determine he has a loss, it all depends on how significant the loss is (if her has one at all). For DS, he loss is so slight that right now they are recommending nothing. If it gets worse he may need a hearing aid.

I hope your DC is fine

Re: For those that are familiar with toddler hearing tests...

Hi thanks for the reply. When I called my ped. the nurse asked me if it was a real concern. She kind of made me feel like don't waste our time..so I asked it what's involved and she said it would be done in the office and they stick something in his ear and that's that but that he has to be totally still and not yell. I really don't know how they actually get the reading. I never heard about them being asleep too. You can do a hearing test when they're sleeping? I guess that's like what they do in the hospital for newborns.

Re: For those that are familiar with toddler hearing tests...

This is real stupid but when my DC is in another room and the front door opens (he cant see the door from this room and the door creaks) he jumps up because he hears someone opening the door and he runs to the door. Isn't that a good sign? Also when my DC is watching tv I would go right behind him and kind of move my fingers together to make a little sound and he hears that in each ear.

The reason why I'm bringin him in to get checked is because my mom doesn't like that he doesn't turn around immediately when she calls him but this is when he's always watching noggin. Also when my speech therapist recommeded he get his hearing checked just to rule out wether or not it can be a cause of his speech delay.

Re: For those that are familiar with toddler hearing tests...

Those are all good signs.

As far as not responding to his name, he may just be too into what he is doing or he may just not care. DS's loss is at the whisper level-i.e. he can not hear conversations held at the whisper level if they are too low, but they have to be very low for him not to hear them. I was nervous because he wouldn't seem to hear my 2 year old cry or yell. Well, it turns out that he can hear those cries and yells, he just doesn't care. So, not all failure to react to noise is due to hearing loss.

It is good to get hearing checked out to rule it out because it definitely could contribute to language delays if undiscovered. It's probably not what is going on with your child but even if it is, getting it checked and dealing with it sooner rather than later will really help with any delays he is having. But again, his hearing is probably fine.