Help with an infant that keeps failing his hearing test

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maurabwade

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My son has failed the otoacoustic emission test four times - twice when he was first born, once at 5 weeks old and once at 7 weeks old. The doctor has confirmed that there is no fluid in his ears.

However, I know that he can hear, because he startles when there is a loud noise.

He has now been referred for an auditory brainstem response test. I am hoping he passes.

We currently have Keystone East insurance, but, in July, we will switch to Keystone Mercy, a Medicaid insurance. I am wondering if I should buy my baby insurance for a few extra months in case he needs some kind of ear surgery or hearing aids.

Has anyone dealt with Medicaid with an infant that has hearing loss?

What treatments would my baby be most likely to need (so that I can find out whether or not they're covered)? What are the most common causes of hearing loss in infants?

Note that there is NO congenital hearing loss on either side of his family.
 
He could just be hard of hearing. Does he play the now i hear you now I don't game? I think even with advances and idenitification in medicene, they still have no idea what causes hearing loss in a lot of kids. Most dhh kids are born to families with NO history whatsoever of hearing loss.
 
Just because there's no history of deafness in either side of the family doesn't mean that a child won't be deaf. It can be for a number of reasons or no reason by the parents/family at all. If the mother is sick or on medication during pregnancy, it can lead to something happening to the child. If that's the case, don't blame yourself immediately. If you needed the medication and weren't aware of it, then don't call yourself a bad mother. You carried the baby through full term and have a healthy baby, so you're doing fine. Just because the baby is deaf doesn't mean it's the end of the world for you.

If the baby is startled every time he/she hears a loud noise, that doesn't mean the baby is hearing. I'm deaf, but I can hear loud noises... especially if the loud noise creates strong vibrations. I may not hear a woman scream, but I can hear the door being slammed.

If the baby fails several hearing tests, then it may be time to accept the reality that your child is deaf and for you to seek other alternatives such as hearing aids and learn sign language.
 
Start with ASL right away so the child can get access to language.


My brother and I were both born deaf....same as your situation, there was no history of deafness in both sides of the family.

Both of us are now working adults and doing fine.
 
It could also be genetic even if there is no HL in the family. In that case, it would be a de novo mutation.

Many people never discover the reason for their hearing loss.

Try not to worry too much and enjoy your baby. Babyhood is priceless and it goes by so fast.
 
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