Some children who are born deaf recover from their deafness

[TAMI SAM]

Yes R2D2 it is...I wasnt going to post on this as I dont know jack about kids and hearing loss.I started to read through this because I just wanted to tell you all when I went to the CI office(If you remember my kids first thread) Well I hope this isnt true about dr.s making more deaf as there were strollers lined up.It was kinda creepy like an expessway for babies for CI's.I expected to see 5yr.olds and up not one in the crowd .Oldest was 3 and the rest were so small I dont even know if they were walking yet.And in the hearing booth and actually every room there were toys everywhere.Made me wonder how on earth are these babies giving them an accurate answer to can you hear this as some test were repeating sentances hold you hand up ect.you know the drill.By the way not one adult there!WTH?!

 

[shel90]

Guess what?? I couldnt believe this cuz all my life I have never heard of babies being born deaf and then later, their hearing is recovered on its own until this thread. Well, my husband and I were talking to one of the parents at my daughter's game. She was asking if my son was deaf cuz we were signing to him and my husband said no that I am deaf. She was like ohhh and then she started telling us about her 2 year old daughter. Mind u, I have watched my son play with her daughter and her daughter talks and everything like a hearing 2 year old would. Well, the mother said when she was born, she didnt pass her hearing test..said that she was deaf...went again 3 months later, still deaf and the drs said that she would qualify for a CI at around 12 months old. So, she was telling me that they started preparing for it and everything until some follow up hearing tests started indicating that her daughter may not be deaf after all. They postponed the CI evaluations and by the time her daughter was like 15 months old, she passed her hearing test and now she has normal hearing. They do not know why she didnt pass them before. The mother said that she wouldnt respond to sounds nor noises at all during the first 12 months of her life but afterwards , she started to respond to any noises and now she is diagnosed as having normal hearing.

My jaw just dropped cuz I just learned of this situation from this thread and then a short time later I actually meet parents who actually experienced it. The mother said thank god that one hearing test showed signs of her being able to hear before starting the CI processs. I didnt say anything..but it made me really think. Amazing!

 

[R2D2]

Guess what?? I couldnt believe this cuz all my life I have never heard of babies being born deaf and then later, their hearing is recovered on its own until this thread. Well, my husband and I were talking to one of the parents at my daughter's game. She was asking if my son was deaf cuz we were signing to him and my husband said no that I am deaf. She was like ohhh and then she started telling us about her 2 year old daughter. Mind u, I have watched my son play with her daughter and her daughter talks and everything like a hearing 2 year old would. Well, the mother said when she was born, she didnt pass her hearing test..said that she was deaf...went again 3 months later, still deaf and the drs said that she would qualify for a CI at around 12 months old. So, she was telling me that they started preparing for it and everything until some follow up hearing tests started indicating that her daughter may not be deaf after all. They postponed the CI evaluations and by the time her daughter was like 15 months old, she passed her hearing test and now she has normal hearing. They do not know why she didnt pass them before. The mother said that she wouldnt respond to sounds nor noises at all during the first 12 months of her life but afterwards , she started to respond to any noises and now she is diagnosed as having normal hearing.

My jaw just dropped cuz I just learned of this situation from this thread and then a short time later I actually meet parents who actually experienced it. The mother said thank god that one hearing test showed signs of her being able to hear before starting the CI processs. I didnt say anything..but it made me really think. Amazing!

Interesting! Thanks for sharing it with us. It was good that the daughter continued to have hearing tests that indicated that it wasn't an open/shut case and in this case, she obviously didn't go on to have the CI. Hearing loss has always been notoriously difficult to diagnose.

 

[LTHFAdvocate]

Children under 18 months and those who are older but have some type of communication disorder are generally tested using a test called a sedated ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) or ASSR. Clicks are presented and the brain's response to the clicks are recorded.

Children over 18 months but under 3 are generally tested using Conditioned Play Audiometry or Visual Reinforced Audiometry. CPA (used for kids closer to three) is where you train the children to perform a specific action every time they hear a beep -- like holding a ball to your ear, and throwing it into a bucket when you hear something. VRA is done with multiple test assistants where they distract the child, then have a noise source and watch the child to see if they react to the noise.

No asking of questions, no raising of hands, no pushing the button when you hear the beep, but all three of these types of tests are difficult to perform. Larger clinics (like ours) have audiologists who specialize in nothing but testing children under the age of three.

Also, the increase of children in ENTs offices directly correlates to the addition of newborn hearing screening in almost every state. In over 35 states now, if your child is born deaf, you should know that there is a problem before you leave the newborn nursery. Unless there is a false pass or the kid gets missed, he won't pass the test and will be referred for further followup. There are a fair amount of false positives, I think the numbers are something like for every 10 kids that fail new born hearing screening, 3 are hearing impaired but can benefit from aids, 1 is profoundly deaf, and 6 have normal hearing but for whatever reason didn't pass the first test.

Yes R2D2 it is...I wasnt going to post on this as I dont know jack about kids and hearing loss.I started to read through this because I just wanted to tell you all when I went to the CI office(If you remember my kids first thread) Well I hope this isnt true about dr.s making more deaf as there were strollers lined up.It was kinda creepy like an expessway for babies for CI's.I expected to see 5yr.olds and up not one in the crowd .Oldest was 3 and the rest were so small I dont even know if they were walking yet.And in the hearing booth and actually every room there were toys everywhere.Made me wonder how on earth are these babies giving them an accurate answer to can you hear this as some test were repeating sentances hold you hand up ect.you know the drill.By the way not one adult there!WTH?!

 

[deafdyke]

LTH Advocate, I think we're all familiar with the hearing testing. I really think that its better to make a decision about implantation based on combonation tests. That is both ABR and the play auditremy. I can't help but feel that depending on technology to dx a loss (except with auditory nereopathy) isn't a good idea, b/c technology is imperfect. I think too that catching it super early might be a bit overparanoid. It does seem like a lot of the experts out there think that catching it even slightly later (eg eighteen months or a year as opposed to at birth, or at time of manifesation) means that the kid will be VERY significently delayed in terms of spoken language. I don't deny that early intervention is crucuial. Just questioning the rationale of VERY early intervention. Does it really matter if the kid doesn't have speech therapy from the time of dx?


Cloggy I was three when I got my hearing aids.(moderately severe loss.....such a severe loss that I can't even hear thunder even WITH my aids on) Bear in mind that I caught up with language extremely fast, even thou I have a genetic syndrome which causes profound spoken language delays ( In fact, I'm one of the only kids with it who didn't have profound language delays) AND, I didn't attend a program for the dhh. I was in a program just for general disablities (sort of like an Easter Seals set up) As a matter of fact, until recently a LOT of dhh kids weren't dx until they were toddlers.

That's because you are comparing HA's with CI's......
You really shouldn't...

Well if I was one of those deaf people who only got some benifit from HAs, I would drop it. But you're not realizing that Lotte is basicly just like someone who is audilogically hoh even if they wear hearing aids. The technology that delivers the message doesn't matter. She is STILL audilogically hoh with a CI. Yes, CId kids hear differently, but they hear at the same dcb levels.

 

[sr171soars]

... The technology that delivers the message doesn't matter. She is STILL audilogically hoh with a CI. Yes, CId kids hear differently, but they hear at the same dcb levels.

Er...you mean as compared to HAs in terms of dcb levels? I beg to differ. There is no comparison. I can hear more clearly (clarity) and hear sounds better because I get more information (both louder and further away). Heck, I can listen in the dark and understand what is spoken with no problem. I couldn't even dream of doing that with my HA.

I do agree that we CIers are still technically HOHers but at the high end of the spectrum. This is especially true in terms of pure sounds. Speech is a whole another issue and in the realm of the ability to understand language depending on one's brain development of it at an early stage of life.

 

[deafskeptic]

I agree with Sr171soars on this one.

When I wore my HA, I almost never could make out words on the radio but now with this implant, I can make out words here and there on the radio - mostly numbers.

Best of all I can finally listen to music with out the awful ringing in my ear. I haven't been able to listen to music without ringing in 20 years. *HOP*

I do agree that we're still HOH.

 

[DeafSCUBA98]

how many of you are aware that infants didn't develope their hearing completley?

in fact babies develope their hearing 100% when they're after 1 month old

 

[jillio]

how many of you are aware that infants didn't develope their hearing completley?

in fact babies develope their hearing 100% when they're after 1 month old

I think I posted earlier that newborn screenings could, at best, red flag an infant for possible problems with hearing.

 

[deafdyke]

Um DeafSkeptic and Sr17soars, you didn't read my post too carefully. I stated that yes, the CI is drasticly different from HA for folks who didn't get too much benifit from HA. I do understand.......it's probaly like the difference between an ITE and a BTE for someone who is audilogically hoh.
(and that difference is HUGE) But even with the difference in sound quality, CIers are still very functionally hoh, and the ones with REALLY good hearing (as we all know, the hearing that CI gives varies significently) are essentially equalivant to audilogically hoh HAers.

 

[Dixie]

When I was pregnant with my DD I was worried about the possibility of her being deaf and me being HH only and knowing very little sign at the time. My OB said tere was only a very slim chance of it happening with my parents being hearing, her father and his family all being hearing.

I was going to prepare myself to raise a deaf child (not that it would have been a bad thing, I gladly would have learned sign for her sake to communicate, I would have not cared, I just wanted to be prepared to go through the same obstacles again as a parent that I went through as a child myself.

In the end my DD is hearing, and I still love her the same. When she was a year old I requested a second hearing test be done to make sure that she was not going to be behind in language devolopment (signed or spoken).

If my DD had been born deaf, it would have been no big deal - I would have learned sign a long time ago and gotten help from the deaf community much sooner than I have now. And yes I would have moved to Little Rock to have her go to the deaf school during the day. Deaf or hearing I would love my child all the same.

Today she is a very rambunctious talkitive 3 year old that thrives on life. Only her momma has trouble hearing.

 

[R2D2]

Cool Dixie! I applaud every parent that loves and cares for their children and that really shines through with you and your daughter

 

[R2D2]

Um DeafSkeptic and Sr17soars, you didn't read my post too carefully. I stated that yes, the CI is drasticly different from HA for folks who didn't get too much benifit from HA. I do understand.......it's probaly like the difference between an ITE and a BTE for someone who is audilogically hoh.
(and that difference is HUGE) But even with the difference in sound quality, CIers are still very functionally hoh, and the ones with REALLY good hearing (as we all know, the hearing that CI gives varies significently) are essentially equalivant to audilogically hoh HAers.

I don't have a problem with that. I think for someone with very little or no hearing to start off with, it is a huge improvement to become functioning audiologically HOH. As you know, my hearing dropped significantly, which led me to get the CI. Now that I have a taste of what it's like to be audiologically HOH I notice it's easier compared to when I was severe/profound supported with hearing aids. I'm really noticing that I now understand the speech of particular individuals that I found hard to understand with hearing aids like men with beards, old men etc. Using the phone is much easier also.

 

[deafdyke]

Oh and there is a significent percentage of deaf kids and people who get significent benifit from hearing aids. That is they are functionally hoh with hearing aids.
And R2D2, for the people who get some benifit from aids, but can hear even better with CI, its probally just like the difference between BTEs (which generally have MUCH more power) and ITEs (can hear but not wicked well) for an audilogically hoh person.

 

[R2D2]

Oh and there is a significent percentage of deaf kids and people who get significent benifit from hearing aids. That is they are functionally hoh with hearing aids.

Speaking for myself as a lifetime borderline profoundly deaf person who did really well with my hearing aids (everyone complimented me on my speech yada yada) I still say the difference is noticeable. CIs for me definitely have the edge. When aided with hearing aids I was hearing at about 50db average. With CIs it's more like 30db. It just seems to take less effort to hear.

And R2D2, for the people who get some benifit from aids, but can hear even better with CI, its probally just like the difference between BTEs (which generally have MUCH more power) and ITEs (can hear but not wicked well) for an audilogically hoh person.

Maybe - I can't say for sure as I've never been at HOH level with ITEs.

Anyway not sure why you are trying to emphasize this so much because I do agree that with CIs we are effectively audiologically HOH. I'm just saying that for me, it's a big improvement over what I had. My own point of view.

 

[deafdyke]

And yes a moderate loss vs. a milder loss is amazing. I always think I can hear really well even without my aids, but then I put my aids on (and they aren't even digitals!) and its amazing.
Well I think its different from person to person. Like there are probaly people who have severe and profound losses who are too good hearing aid users. I mean have sales of HAs for severe and profound gone down?
Oh and the reason I'm emphasizing that CIers are functionally hoh, is b/c Cloggy doesn't seem to realize that. He seems to think that CIers are pretty much hearing. There's a huge difference between being hoh and being hearing. Ask any unilaterally dhh kid!
rick48, I just thought of another downside to oral only. Self-esteem. I mean how can you develop good healthy self esteem when you're constantly being corrected on your speech, pitch, volumne articulation etc?

 

[deafdyke]

I can't say for sure as I've never been at HOH level with ITEs.

Nobody except for people with VERY mild losses are at hoh levels with ITEs.
R2D2, do you think some of the good HA users might benifit just as much from a body worn aid as from a CI? I really do think that the borderline losses should be required to try on a body aid in an audilogical setting. I don't think it could compensate for recruitment.........but maybe there are some losses for which a BTE isn't powerful enough.

 

[R2D2]

Nobody except for people with VERY mild losses are at hoh levels with ITEs.
R2D2, do you think some of the good HA users might benifit just as much from a body worn aid as from a CI? I really do think that the borderline losses should be required to try on a body aid in an audilogical setting. I don't think it could compensate for recruitment.........but maybe there are some losses for which a BTE isn't powerful enough.

I think that if acoustic feedback is the only problem being experienced by such HA wearers then I think body worn hearing aids might help, as the microphone and speaker are further apart. However, in themselves they do not overcome the disadvantage of hearing aid technology for those with large hearing losses. At powerful and high levels of amplification the sound heard by the hearing aid wearer becomes more distorted. I was one of the lucky ones, I benefited from my aids but others with the same loss as me really hated them. My impression is that virtually everyone tries out hearing aids for at least 6 months before going the CI route anyway, even babies.

You're right - it wouldn't overcome recruitment.

 

[R2D2]

rick48, I just thought of another downside to oral only. Self-esteem. I mean how can you develop good healthy self esteem when you're constantly being corrected on your speech, pitch, volumne articulation etc?

There are differences between oral programs just as there are differences between TC programs (as I am just finding out from Shel and Jillio). When I was growing up oral, I never had my speech corrected. I never knew about pitch, volume or articulation - I was just encouraged to communicate freely and always in a relaxed and fun setting. Just as well, as I am sure that I would have hated being constantly corrected.

 

[deafskeptic]

One of my peeves as a teen was that if I mispronounced a word, the hearing would correct me and then our conversation would end. I think that's very rude. It's as if the hearing is only interested in my speech not what I have to say.