Hello Gordon

[Guest guest]

Hi Gordon -

My daughter is now 71/2 yrs old with a progressive hearing loss that

is now in the profound range (100-105dbls). Your story of the doctors

telling you your daughter isn't ready to speak yet is what mine told me. At

10 mths old I knew there was an issue but couldn't get a doctor to listen

until she was 3yrs. I heard the doctors tell me " Your son was a late talker

so, your daughter is too, " " She will talk when she is ready. " I would beg the

doctors to clap or make noise behind her to see or to just hear me. They

wouldn't. I finally took it upon myself to find someone who would listen

after my daughter just 2yrs old nearly getting hit by a garbage truck because

she ran in the street and didn't hear me yelling after her to get out. It

was me running in the street to grab her that made the truck stop!!

At 21/2 yrs old I took her to a center for Audiology to get her hearing

tested. She was so adapted to following peoples actions that she sat on my

lap and played the put the teddybear in the bucket game perfect. I heard the

beeps and she put the teddybear in the bucket on que. I deep down knew she

didn't hear the beeps but the audiologist said that her hearing was perfect.

I knew different. I stomped my feet and got persistent that she wasn't

hearing. Another audiologist took me by the arm and told me she would find

out for certain. She made an appointment for an ABR test and we did what we

needed to do to prepare for it. It was after the ABR test was done that this

audiologist smiled at me and I will never forget her words " YOU are RIGHT

MOM, your daughter does have a moderate-severe hearing loss. "

I guess the best advice I can give you is to trust your instincts and

listen to that voice inside your head. Ask the questions that pop in your

head and if you don't understand ask him to explain again. When the

audiologist first showed me my daughters audiogram and I had no idea what I

was looking at or her use of terms I made her explain it until I understood

it. We had to make decisions on forms of communication and didn't know where

to turn. We asked the audiologist all questions about what forms of

communication and the pros and cons. We learned basic sign language to help

with the lack of communication we had. I know this is different in your case

but these are the questions we asked and had to consider. Had to learn

maintenance and care of the hearing aids which were intimidating for us.

Called the audiologist with battery/cleaning/putting them in her ears how to

questions. When we couldn't get my daughter to wear the hearing aids the

audiologist helped us with behavior modification to get her to wear her aids.

The audiologist helped us inquire in the school system to find a preschool

program that would fit her needs. We found a deaf/hard of hearing program in

a neighborhood Elementary School that had a preschool program that gave her

weekly speech therapy with assistive technology to help with the speech

delay. My daughter is still part of this deaf/hard of hearing program and is

now fluent in speech, lip-reading and sign language. What does your ENT

suggest for your daughters speech needs? Can he refer you to a speech

therapist or a special needs preschool program? Ask the doctor/audiologist

if there is support groups or other parents you can talk with who live in

your area that have children like your own. Parents are good for sharing

experiences and you can learn from one another. I belong to 2 parent support

groups and they have helped me tremendously.

I hope this helps you out a bit. I know it can be real overwhelming

in the beginning. Just follow your inner voice and ask whatever questions

come to mind. Good luck. Deb Palmer