Im thinking my 18 month old has hearing loss...

**insaneblueeyez** · 13-10-2011 19:59

Good evening everyone,

Im feeling very much at a cross roads at the moment. My 18 month old doesnt say any words at all, no mum, dad, bub, nan etc, nothing. Sometimes says "da" if you ask her to say dad, but other wise nothing. She is a very noisy child, lots of baby noises, lots of crying, screaming etc.

I wonder if she has some hearing loss. Im not experienced with this kind of thing. First thing in the morning I will book an appt with an audiologist. However, with the research Ive done, they have said that by 15-24 months she should be able to:
Say simple words: no
String two words together: definitly no
Be able to point to parts of her body when promted: no
Enjoy reading, singing, rhymes: dances when me or older sister dances to songs, not keen on sitting still to read books, but likes to flick the pages
Be able to name simple objects: no
Points to familiar objects when named: no

I get that she could be a bit slow to talk, but she doesnt respond to her name, or noises. If I bang something loud she will look over, but not all the time. I rang the phone while she had it in her hand, but she didnt even blink, just kept going. I thought she was just a bit stubborn with me... but maybe she cant hear me all the time.

Has anyone had any experience with this kind of thing? I have no problem being called hysterical if this is the case (I dont mind that at all!!)

**Ladybugz** · 13-10-2011 21:27

((hugs)) not much help but hope you find sone answers soon 

<3

**insaneblueeyez** · 13-10-2011 23:44

Thanks Ladybugz, I cant sleep for thinking about it. The more I read, the more plausable I seems. Fingers crossed she is just a stubborn wee mite, or maybe she has a wax build up?

Aimee xxx

**The sooper nanny** · 13-10-2011 23:51

Could she have something like glue ear? I had it as a child, was very deaf with it
Grommets fixed it... Might be worth speaking to your health nurse

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**bubbaboyandbump** · 13-10-2011 23:58

I second glue ear! DS is 16 months old and will say one or two words but otherwise sounds very similar to what you are describing. We went to an ENT specialist this week and he has been diagnosed with severe glue ear and will be getting grommets put in next month. Does your little one get ear infections? DS has had ten in a year which is why we were referred to the ent. Might be worth a trip to a gp?

**Manny** · 14-10-2011 00:00

did you have her hearing tested when she was a newborn in hospital??

**insaneblueeyez** · 14-10-2011 06:13

Good morning,

Manny, she was tested as a newborn and had passed.

She does get ear infections, but hasnt had any in a couple of months. However, Im going to get her an appt with an audiologist today (fingers crossed).

As for glue ear, I have no idea. As her ears were checked out when she was last seen by GP for ear infection about 2 months ago, it might have developed since then, who knows? Im prepared to be positive about it.

When we think about it tho, I dont think she has been able to hear for a while. As she hasnt spoken any words at all... ever. Not even no. I thought she was stubborn, would call and call her and she wouldnt come! LOL. Fingers crossed for glue ear (never thought Id say that!).

Aimee xxx

**Seacretsquirrel** · 14-10-2011 07:29

My DS was very much the same hardly spoke at all. He had his tonsils out at 26 months (due mainly to sleep apnea) and since then the speech has improved out of sight. Not sure if it was something about his tonsils that was stopping the talking or he was just waiting until he could so it well- he was like this with walking too pulled up and was cruising furniture at 6 months but didn't walk until 14 months but wasn't wobbly at all just off and running.
Good luck hope you get answers soon.

**mim1** · 14-10-2011 09:45

Don't worry. Get a hearing test done by an audiologist and you'll have your answer. My ds had lots of ear infections, but then for months didn't have one, but had fluid behind his ear drums constantly and had a hearing loss as a result. It was only picked up cause he had 6 words at 12 months and 4 words at 14 months. A very subtle change, otherwise he seemed to hear fine. He got grommets at 15 months and had 2 new words within 24 hours and was babbling when he wasn't a babbler before hand. He has had no long term issues and never needed another set of grommets.

It's important to catch hearing loss early and 18 months is early, so your bub will be fine if it's treated (assuming there is hearing loss and it sounds like there is). Well done for noticing an issue and getting it investigated.

Let us know what happens with the hearing test.

**MsMummy** · 14-10-2011 09:56

My 3yo had very limited speech at that age.

His hearing is fine, but he has some mild speech delay for which he sees a speech pathologist.

After you get his hearing tested, you could look into an assessment by a sp. Some will assess from 18 months, but I did ours closer to 2 hoping that it would come good in the meantime.