Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Hearing in crowds

So I looked back at his medical records...

I first brought up problems with his hearing in Feb. 2012.

He was screened six months later. Here are the results:

Left:
500hz: 20db
1000hz: 5db
2000hz: 5db
4000hz: 5db

Right:
500hz: 20db
1000hz: 15db
2000hz: 5db
4000hz: 5db

This was considered a pass but I am learning (by lots of googling) that maybe this was a borderline pass and maybe indicative of some hearing loss.

He has several risk factors for hearing problems - preterm, NICU, jaundice

Anyone more familiar with these test?

His teacher also mentioned last year that he had trouble distinguishing between similar sounds. He makes similar errors when speaking.

Your DS sounds similar mine.

He's always had this unusually strong visual/spatial aptitude (advanced mazes, puzzles, etc) and he sees things that other people miss. He was also screened for auditory processing (at age 8) and he does have an issue with binaural integration/separation (his brain prefers his right ear, even though the hearing in both ears tests as normal).

I've always compensated by slowing down and over articulating my speech, which seems to have helped, although he did for awhile mimic my speaking style and sounded somewhat babyish (he's outgrown this). His classroom teacher sat him to the left of the class at the front so that his right ear was positioned to hear her while teaching. The school was able to get him an "easy listening" system (like a simpler version of an FM system) which helped a bit, although he didn't always want to wear the headphones.

That was last year... this year? Who knows. My kids find out who their teachers will be today, so I'm anxious to find out who I'll be working with...

It's only a "barely pass" on the 500Hz level, because 20db at any normally audible frequency is considered normal.

At the low end of decibels, the results are easily influenced by wax or other objects in the ear. I failed a hearing test once because a bit of cotton swab fuzz had gotten wedged up against one eardrum.

My youngest child produces silly amounts of wax and as Dude says it effects her hearing. I think she was 12-14 months when I became worried about her declining diction. She's been having the ENT dig massive hunks of wax out of her ears every time her speech starts to devolve since that time.

My eldest has CAPD, so I guess I was hyper vigilant about early hearing issues, though my eldest had no signs, not a single ear infection and has exceptional hearing, especially in lower registers (which may be the cause of her CAPD, she hears more than other people, especially low rumble, and has trouble picking what to listen to).