Wow! This sounds a lot like my DD8, but with a different twist. My daughter is also very sensitive to noises (especially flushing toilets). She will go to great lengths to avoid public toilets.
This year, in particular, she has developed more "selective hearing", in that she does not hear her teacher. As a result, I had her hearing tested, and she failed a hearing test in one ear at the lowest sound level. This occurred when she has a cold, and she did pass a hearing test several months later. Anyhow, I am still trying to work with teacher on this issue. This is the e-mail that I sent (with the teacher's response).
I just spoke with Nurse B and she will be pulling DD out of class for another hearing screen. DD says that she still just doesn�t hear some of the things you say, even being at the front of the class. For example, yesterday, she said that she was called out for a missing paper (by her class number) for being asked the third time to turn it in. She said she didn�t hear the request the first two times.
I�m trying to be proactive, and need additional information from you to determine if I need to send DD to a hearing specialist over the Christmas break. I am trying to figure out:
1. If she really can�t hear. (She still says you speak softly in class unless you are upset. When you get louder, she hears you then.)
Teacher response: I must assume that DD does have a hearing problem based on the statement that I speak softly. I have never been told this and in fact, I think my voice is louder than most.
2. If she can�t hear because she is focusing really hard on an assignment she is working on (in other words in a �zone� and blocking everything else out). She has mentioned that she has trouble concentrating on her work because of some of the kids she sits next to, so she may be going into her own world to hit the concentration level she needs. (From the careless mistakes she is making on her school work, it looks like she is distracted, some days more than others.)
Teacher response:I am planning to move all scholars today or the first of next week. DD will be with a different group of scholars. I can�t guarantee she will sit by all new scholars.
3. If she can�t hear because there are other noises interrupting her hearing. She has mentioned kids at her table making clicking and tapping noises, so that may be possible too.
Teacher response: The classroom is never totally quiet, but the noises you refer to are not loud enough for me to notice. I am pretty strict about humming, clicking, etc. Those get on my nerves as well. The only solution for total silence would be for me to move DD by herself. I don�t think you want that, and I don�t like to isolate a scholar. As I notice scholars working now, each group has some sort of noise. (papers rustling, pencils tapping as they write, chairs moving, etc. These noises are expected as scholars work�nothing out of the ordinary.) The fact that she has trouble hearing me, but these small noises bother her seems inconsistent to me. Maybe she has a hearing issue due to proximity or focusing when there is more than one sound. I�m sorry I�m not more help.
4. If she can�t hear because she is busy talking to other kids. (If that is the case, she�s in big trouble!)
Teacher response: DD is not talking with other scholars. We did have that at the beginning of the year, but not now.
Will you please let me know which of these are applicable or provide any other suggestions or observations you may have? Thank you.
Teacher response: Please keep me updated about DD�s hearing issues. Thank you for this update.
Note: DD recently had IQ and achievement tests, and when I asked the tester about the hearing issues, she said she did not notice anything. However, she said there may be some auditory processing issues, especially if there were times when DD did not hear well. That will be our next item to check.
2giftgirls, is it possible that your DD is going through something similar?
