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i think i left all this in limbo, so here's what we know at this point:
since adeline had a (very minor) sore throat & the fever going on right before the hearing test & also b/c she didn't fully cooperate during the final hearing test (oh the lovely tantrums) the hearing test results can not be 100% accurate. but the results we did get from the tests they were able to complete showed that adeline has moderate to mild hearing loss. with a normal ear infection comes a very mild hearing loss & i have read from the columbus speech & hearing website that mild hearing loss can be imitated by sticking your fingers in your ears (try it, that's pretty intense hearing loss & that's only the 'mild'). so...if adeline did indeed have an undetectable ear infection, once that heals she would still have mild hearing loss b/c she was tested to have moderate hearing loss. (it goes mild to moderate to severe/profound, i believe). however, she was checked out by her ped the morning of her hearing test, as you may remember...the day of the dr's started with an 8 o'clock ped sick visit walk-in & her ped didn't see any fluid in her ears. but the ped then explained to me over the phone last week that sometimes a child does have fluid in the ear that is not able to be seen by a ped & that sort of fluid could be constantly there or basically a constant ear infection. if it is that simple, she would see an ENT & most likely have tubes put in her ears & that would solve her hearing loss. there is also a chance that if she has this low amount of fluid in her ears for quite some time (i would say about 18 months, since we noticed her vocab & speech decreasing instead of increasing) permanent damage could have been done & tubes would help but not totally solve her hearing loss.
if it is found that she does not have fluid in her ear then again she will be sent to an ENT for further inner ear tests to investigate the cause of her hearing loss. again, tubes could help other causes of hearing loss but if this is the case it is most likely that this loss is permanent & then we would go from there to...hearing aids or other possible surgeries.
when i was talking with the audiologist who did the hearing tests (on the phone last week, a few days after the test), i began to understand that they don't really seem to have a good idea of the 'why' of her hearing loss but they do not want to say the results she had that day are accurate until they do another test 4 weeks after the first test. the weeks in between would give her ears the time to heal if she happened to have this mysterious ear infection & her sore throat would be healed also. i laughed & said that with our record of illnesses this winter, by mid may she will have another illness to contend with & what will we do then (if she has another virus/infection or even if she doesn't cooperate again & let her complete the main test). apparently the last resort test would be done by an ENT & involves severely sedating adeline (to a point of inducing sleep) & using a scan of some sort to test her hearing/brain waves ??? through brain stimulation. i'm kind of thinking this will be the necessary route b/c addy is so, hhmm, strong willed & really didn't like the hearing test. but! i hope it won't come to that.
basically, we are to not assume anything at this point until all the tests are completed again on may 18th. but we know & her pediatrician is in agreement that the hearing loss makes sense. she's very low on her speech, she has fevers & pains that don't make sense (yes! hearing loss can cause unexplained fevers, diarrhea, stomach nausea...this could solve so many problems) & she is highly coordinated but seems unbalanced, which is also a symptom of hearing loss & she startles often (meaning, she doesn't hear us walk up behind her & then suddenly we are there & that will startle her). i must say that if her hearing loss is resolved & thus her knack for falling over & running into things also goes away, i will miss this part of her that is fairly fun to watch (she doesn't hurt herself, just sort of runs into things, lol. ask anyone who has been around her for some time, it's just a bit funny).
wes' mom was able to speak with a speech pathologist who gave some really helpful advice on how to talk to adeline & help her hear better while we are speaking...using some of these techniques this past week, she has already learned 5 new words that she is able to say: home ("ome"), baby, addy, pop-pop, & ball. seriously, for those who have small kids you may think, wow, my 12-15 month old says those things. so, YEA, this is why we're concerned! & if you are around us now when we talk to adeline...well, let's just say you may find it almost humorous b/c we are talking loud & enunciating & getting in front of her to speak with her, so she can hear us & see us talking. it just looks a bit odd, even to us. but! it's working b/c she has never learned 5 words in just a few days. & her speech evaluation is coming up & we may go with a different organization to have it completed (help me grow), which they may be able to meet at our house within one week! (instead of the first week of june like children's hospital, ugh).
so, that's the update!
& if all of this doesn't make sense to you, join me in being confused & uncertain!
since adeline had a (very minor) sore throat & the fever going on right before the hearing test & also b/c she didn't fully cooperate during the final hearing test (oh the lovely tantrums) the hearing test results can not be 100% accurate. but the results we did get from the tests they were able to complete showed that adeline has moderate to mild hearing loss. with a normal ear infection comes a very mild hearing loss & i have read from the columbus speech & hearing website that mild hearing loss can be imitated by sticking your fingers in your ears (try it, that's pretty intense hearing loss & that's only the 'mild'). so...if adeline did indeed have an undetectable ear infection, once that heals she would still have mild hearing loss b/c she was tested to have moderate hearing loss. (it goes mild to moderate to severe/profound, i believe). however, she was checked out by her ped the morning of her hearing test, as you may remember...the day of the dr's started with an 8 o'clock ped sick visit walk-in & her ped didn't see any fluid in her ears. but the ped then explained to me over the phone last week that sometimes a child does have fluid in the ear that is not able to be seen by a ped & that sort of fluid could be constantly there or basically a constant ear infection. if it is that simple, she would see an ENT & most likely have tubes put in her ears & that would solve her hearing loss. there is also a chance that if she has this low amount of fluid in her ears for quite some time (i would say about 18 months, since we noticed her vocab & speech decreasing instead of increasing) permanent damage could have been done & tubes would help but not totally solve her hearing loss.
if it is found that she does not have fluid in her ear then again she will be sent to an ENT for further inner ear tests to investigate the cause of her hearing loss. again, tubes could help other causes of hearing loss but if this is the case it is most likely that this loss is permanent & then we would go from there to...hearing aids or other possible surgeries.
when i was talking with the audiologist who did the hearing tests (on the phone last week, a few days after the test), i began to understand that they don't really seem to have a good idea of the 'why' of her hearing loss but they do not want to say the results she had that day are accurate until they do another test 4 weeks after the first test. the weeks in between would give her ears the time to heal if she happened to have this mysterious ear infection & her sore throat would be healed also. i laughed & said that with our record of illnesses this winter, by mid may she will have another illness to contend with & what will we do then (if she has another virus/infection or even if she doesn't cooperate again & let her complete the main test). apparently the last resort test would be done by an ENT & involves severely sedating adeline (to a point of inducing sleep) & using a scan of some sort to test her hearing/brain waves ??? through brain stimulation. i'm kind of thinking this will be the necessary route b/c addy is so, hhmm, strong willed & really didn't like the hearing test. but! i hope it won't come to that.
basically, we are to not assume anything at this point until all the tests are completed again on may 18th. but we know & her pediatrician is in agreement that the hearing loss makes sense. she's very low on her speech, she has fevers & pains that don't make sense (yes! hearing loss can cause unexplained fevers, diarrhea, stomach nausea...this could solve so many problems) & she is highly coordinated but seems unbalanced, which is also a symptom of hearing loss & she startles often (meaning, she doesn't hear us walk up behind her & then suddenly we are there & that will startle her). i must say that if her hearing loss is resolved & thus her knack for falling over & running into things also goes away, i will miss this part of her that is fairly fun to watch (she doesn't hurt herself, just sort of runs into things, lol. ask anyone who has been around her for some time, it's just a bit funny).
wes' mom was able to speak with a speech pathologist who gave some really helpful advice on how to talk to adeline & help her hear better while we are speaking...using some of these techniques this past week, she has already learned 5 new words that she is able to say: home ("ome"), baby, addy, pop-pop, & ball. seriously, for those who have small kids you may think, wow, my 12-15 month old says those things. so, YEA, this is why we're concerned! & if you are around us now when we talk to adeline...well, let's just say you may find it almost humorous b/c we are talking loud & enunciating & getting in front of her to speak with her, so she can hear us & see us talking. it just looks a bit odd, even to us. but! it's working b/c she has never learned 5 words in just a few days. & her speech evaluation is coming up & we may go with a different organization to have it completed (help me grow), which they may be able to meet at our house within one week! (instead of the first week of june like children's hospital, ugh).
so, that's the update!
& if all of this doesn't make sense to you, join me in being confused & uncertain!
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