Hearing test questions.

[cogero]

My son had his tonsils and adenoids removed and an insertion of tubes on Thursday while they had him under sedation they did an ABR hearing test to monitor his hearing.

I was told his hearing was normal in his Right ear but there is a possiblity of a hearing loss in his left ear. We are going for a normal hearing test on Friday and then a second ABR hearing test on June 11th.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I am not expecting much from Friday's hearing test because so far normal hearing tests have been unsuccessful. Also they aren't really patient with him with his PDD-NOS diagnosis and his inability to sit still.

 

[KerBear]

Hi, I actually had the same surgery when I was 5 (or so, it was a looooooong time ago!). I had recurring ear infections and having my tonsils and adnoids out became necessary due to hearing loss, according to my parents I lost 80% of my hearing in one ear. Within a year my hearing was back to normal, so there is a good chance it will heal itself now that the cause has been removed. Good luck, I hope everything is ok, but even if the tests do show loss it may not be permanent.

 

[Pluto.AuD]

Sorry to respond to your post so late...I just saw it today. I hope your questions have been answered in the mean time. I'll be interested to know how your son is doing.

Even normal developing children are sometimes difficult to test as, for the most part, they don't like to sit still and quiet. It's for this reason we need additional hearing tests, like the ABR (auditory brainstem response), that don't require them to respond, or even be conscious for this testing. All these pieces of the puzzle get put together to make an ultimate diagnosis. And occasionally that initial diagnosis is incorrect, which is why, if your child is identified as having hearing loss, you should go back for further testing.

Hope this helps!

 

[Sadie22]

Hi, I actually had the same surgery when I was 5 (or so, it was a looooooong time ago!). I had recurring ear infections and having my tonsils and adnoids out became necessary due to hearing loss, according to my parents I lost 80% of my hearing in one ear. Within a year my hearing was back to normal, so there is a good chance it will heal itself now that the cause has been removed. Good luck, I hope everything is ok, but even if the tests do show loss it may not be permanent.

DS had a T and A at the age of 4. He learned the pronunciation of some words incorrectly before that due to infection-related hearing loss. Sometime after the surgery his hearing returned to normal, also, and he was able to learn the correct pronunciations. Have additional testing done but also give it some time. Good luck!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

My DS had that surgery when he was 4. We were told he had a minor hearing loss but that it may return in time. The tubes eventually worked their way out just about a year later.. and his hearing had all returned to normal. He is now 25. He has gotten maybe 5 or 6 ear infections since the tubes were put in.. prior to that.. he had constant infections. I had always thought that once you got your tonsils removed you would not get strep again.. but he did.. and my DD got her tonsils removed at the age of 20 and she still gets strep! She is now 23. So that I don't understand.