How can you tell if an infant may be deaf?

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Hi! I am wondering what the signs may be that would indicate an infant is deaf. I will save you the personal story-but any help is very appreciated!!!

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

Did the baby have a hearing test in the hospital after s/he was born? That is done in a lot of hospitals on the post-partum unit. If not, request one be ordered by the doc. Describe the signs you are seeing that concern you.

Best Wishes~

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

There is no reliable home-way of telling if a baby is deaf. Your PCP can refer you to an audiologist who can do evoked responses and determine this. Good luck...

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Well my son was premature and they had a hard time with the hearing tests in the hospital, but after he came home he had one and passed just fine. A little bit after he was home, I noticed that he always seemed stuffed up like he had a cold, but it was winter. Then when he was three months, he was always stuffed, had green/yellow discharge from his nose, very, very fussy, could only eat a little at a time because he couldn't breathe through his nose and only slept for a couple hours at a time because he would just scream and he never felt well at all.

So I took him to the pediatrician who told me that he had a cold and give a little bit of tylenol and come in back in a week or so.

Went back, ped. said the cold was just lingering-no big deal.

Two more weeks went by & no change at all. Went back, he got a good look over and the pediatrician said that because he was premature (by a month and a half) that the passages in his ears and nose were very small and it would just take time for them to expand and then it would clear up. I told him, "This cannot be normal-can we please do a culture just to check?" He said it wasn't necessary. I told him that green/yellow snot for months on end is not normal!!! I had the insurance to cover it so why not just to appease me? He told me it will just take time.

Meanwhile, his audiologist tried to do a high frequency test once he was over 7lbs. She couldn't do it multiple times because of fluid in his ears. I went back to the pediatrician and was given ear drops, they cleaned his ears...over and over....pediatrician told me again that it was just because he was premature. Finally the audiologist told my pediatrician to refer my son to an ear, nose and throat specialist. So we waited and called, waited and called and the pediatrician never got back to us with the appointment so we called and made it ourselves as a referral from the audiologist.

Now my son is almost 8 months. The ear, nose and throat doctor took a culture right away of his sinuses. It came back Streptococcus Pneumoniae and when the nurse called with the results, she said he had it REALLY bad. I was given a combo antibiotic to use for 20 days, which ends tomorrow. I don't even think it is completely gone. He sleeps through the night, eats better and is happier. Thank you ear nose and throat doctor!

But now he isn't passing any hearing tests. None. If my daughter screams, or I yell or even say his name...nothing. Nothing wakes him up...he only interacts when he can directly look at you and he hardly says a word. He babbles but it is only about 2 different sounds and it is the same sounds he has been making for months. He is turning 9 months next week.

I have to go on the 16th of this month for some more technical hearing test to determine once and for all. I just feel so lost & I guess part of me is looking for anything that gives me a little hope that he could turn out fine.

Sorry it is so long!

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Specializes in NICU.

He may well have a hearing loss, sounds like he has had a rough time. See what the new testing tells you, you may need to go to a clinic at a Childrens hospital to get f/u.

My granddaughter did not have a history of ear infections, but her parents noticed that she was not progressing like her sister, and at about 18 mos took her to an ENT. He felt that she had a lot of fluid behind the eardrum, and recommended bilateral tubes. Since she had those inserted, and the fluid drained, she hears much better and her speech has improved.

Good luck, let us know how he progresses.

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Wow...your son has been through a lot. Sounds like he may have some hearing loss, I hope it's not permanant. My husband's sister had something with a high fever as a child that made her mostly deaf but she is happily married mom of two now with a full time job at a bank. I didn't even know she was deaf the first few times I met her, she was so good at reading lips. She can hear loud sounds, street sounds, yelling, etc.

I hope your son is ok, please see a pediatric audiologist or specialist so he can get the help he needs, the sooner the better!!

Melissa

Well my son was premature and they had a hard time with the hearing tests in the hospital, but after he came home he had one and passed just fine. A little bit after he was home, I noticed that he always seemed stuffed up like he had a cold, but it was winter. Then when he was three months, he was always stuffed, had green/yellow discharge from his nose, very, very fussy, could only eat a little at a time because he couldn't breathe through his nose and only slept for a couple hours at a time because he would just scream and he never felt well at all.

So I took him to the pediatrician who told me that he had a cold and give a little bit of tylenol and come in back in a week or so.

Went back, ped. said the cold was just lingering-no big deal.

Two more weeks went by & no change at all. Went back, he got a good look over and the pediatrician said that because he was premature (by a month and a half) that the passages in his ears and nose were very small and it would just take time for them to expand and then it would clear up. I told him, "This cannot be normal-can we please do a culture just to check?" He said it wasn't necessary. I told him that green/yellow snot for months on end is not normal!!! I had the insurance to cover it so why not just to appease me? He told me it will just take time.

Meanwhile, his audiologist tried to do a high frequency test once he was over 7lbs. She couldn't do it multiple times because of fluid in his ears. I went back to the pediatrician and was given ear drops, they cleaned his ears...over and over....pediatrician told me again that it was just because he was premature. Finally the audiologist told my pediatrician to refer my son to an ear, nose and throat specialist. So we waited and called, waited and called and the pediatrician never got back to us with the appointment so we called and made it ourselves as a referral from the audiologist.

Now my son is almost 8 months. The ear, nose and throat doctor took a culture right away of his sinuses. It came back Streptococcus Pneumoniae and when the nurse called with the results, she said he had it REALLY bad. I was given a combo antibiotic to use for 20 days, which ends tomorrow. I don't even think it is completely gone. He sleeps through the night, eats better and is happier. Thank you ear nose and throat doctor!

But now he isn't passing any hearing tests. None. If my daughter screams, or I yell or even say his name...nothing. Nothing wakes him up...he only interacts when he can directly look at you and he hardly says a word. He babbles but it is only about 2 different sounds and it is the same sounds he has been making for months. He is turning 9 months next week.

I have to go on the 16th of this month for some more technical hearing test to determine once and for all. I just feel so lost & I guess part of me is looking for anything that gives me a little hope that he could turn out fine.

Sorry it is so long!

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Delayed language development and sleeping right through loud noises (or not startling or reacting when someone claps loudly in back of head) are classic signs of infant deafness or hearing loss. Like another poster stated, this may be a temporary condition brought on by the fluid and constant infection in the middle ears/ sinuses. Please keep us posted on what the audiologist determines on the 16th.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

My colleagues have given you great advice. Make sure you followup with the ENT doctor to make sure infection resolved and fluid build up gone.

My oldest had constant infections, slept through the night and speech delayed a little--- just as you described. Eustacian tubes by 18 months really helped. By age 3 he was a babbling brook, unchanged at almost 20.

Not getting back to parents is a BIG issue in my book.

One of the reasons I chose and love my Pediatrician is because of excellent office communications--will be sorry to leave her after 20+ years. I would ask for an appointment with the doctor and have frank discussion over your concerns: not prescribing antibiotics, childs hearing issues. If not satisfied with anwers, time to find another pediatrician.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I wish you the best. Please let us know how things go?

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I'm sorry you've had such difficulties with your pediatrician. I've had similar problems in the past, and changed docs a few times until I found someone who listened to my concerns and communicated well with me. Thank Goodness your audiologist persisted in advocating for you!

My youngest was also a preemie, who experienced many of the problems you describe. Besides being premature, she was also very tiny, with extremely fine features. Her ear canals were so narrow that any cold, allergen, or source of irritation caused them to close up, resulting in ear infections. Her hearing tests have all been normal, and her speech was not affected, but those are not uncommon side effects in children with repeated ear infections. Fortunately, these deficits are often temporary, and resolve once the ear infections are effectively treated.

My daughter also had similar problems with sinus infections as she got older. Any swelling of mucous membranes led to blocked sinuses, and hard-to-treat infections. Allergy meds have been very effective in keeping sinus infections at bay for the last few years. Just something you may want to watch out for!

Best of luck to you as you seek help for your child!

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Specializes in Case Management.

Following_faith,

I too, had ear and sinus problems as a baby I was not premature, but I had several tubes placed in the ears, antibiotics (and this was in the 60's) My mother was standing behind me I was preschool age, she was talking to me directly behind my head and I did not hear. She turned me around and started to talk and was shocked to see I was watching her lips, not hearing her words! I have had lots of ear drops,surgeries (tubes) and antibiotics over the years. I had poor hearing all my life growing up, but never needed a hearing aid or anything. Turns out a lot of it was caused by allergies (big allergy for me--latex (rubber nipples at the time were made of latex) also corn syrup, which back in the day moms added to whole milk to boost calories for poor feeders. Even now, I have difficulty with some pitches, very high or very low. But I am not deaf. And I am sure your little boy will be fine as well. Just keep taking him to the specialist (thank God you were able to get the right treatment there!)

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Thank you! You all have been a HUGE help! Especially when you mentioned the tubes. I never realized that may be an option. I guess I was kind of stuck in an all or nothing mode. So, even if it does not turn out what we hope for-at least there may be things to make it easier for him!

No matter what I love him and will do whatever I have to in order for him to be a productive, secure, happy child.

Thanks everyone! I feel so much better!!!!

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