Hearing Loss in non-LD child - question for Janis??

SAR,

I am happy to answer your question. I do know audiologists who recommend amplification for unilateral losses. I have mixed feelings about it and I’ll tell you why. If a child has been getting along fine, they are unlikely to be accepting of a hearing aid. It will amplify other noises to some degree, and that can be very irritating. That is why elderly people often refuse to wear them. My sister had a profound loss in one ear and managed to get through school and college with no problems. In most cases such as your child’s, they just natuarlly compensate by turning the head or asking for something to be repeated if it is said on the side with poorer hearing. My number one recommendation for children with unilateral hearing loss is preferential seating. They should be seated on the side of the room where the good ear has access to hearing well and toward the front half of the room.

I currently have one student in this situation, and the audiologist recommended a hearing aid (after all, that’s how she makes money :-). The SLP, regular teacher, and I think that she hears well enough as it is. The child is in fifth grade and does not want something thta will make her appear “different”. So our recommendation to the mom was that we did not believe a hearing aid would be essential to her success.

My other recommendation is to monitor the hearing in the other ear. If for any reason his hearing should decline in the “good” ear, then you might reconsider aids. A decline woulkd be unusual unless there is noise induced hearing loss or a progressive loss. Be sure he wears ear protection if he is in the presence of very loud noise (race track, fireworks, other loud machines, etc.)

Janis

That’s pretty much what we decided with my NLD son who has a pretty severe hearing loss in one ear. He hadn’t noticed the loss, and it was only picked up in a screening.

We talked about a hearing aid, with the audiologist, and the look on my son’s face said it all. So we just make sure his teachers know, and that they seat him so that it’s not a problem for him. Honestly, the ONLY time I notice a problem is if he tries to use a phone in noisy surroundings. He’s left handed, and his hearing loss is in the left ear. Without thinking about it, he’ll pick up the phone with his left hand, and then be unable to hear you as you are screaming for him to put the phone on his OTHER ear.

Even though my son has an IEP, and it does mention the hearing loss, my understanding is that this piece of information, like the management of his asthma, is actually handled through the health office. The school nurse actually consults with the teachers that have children with serious sight, hearing or other health issues, and tells them how to accomodate or care for the child in the classroom.

Karen

Thank you VERY MUCH! We have felt so guilty that we spent so much time and effort on our son with LD, that we ignored his younger brother, who seemed to be doing so very well, then to be told he has a permanent hearing loss is very worrisome…however he is doing spectacularly in school, and I don’t think he would accept an aid. Thanks again.

I would agree, hearing aides can be as annoying as they are helpful as they often apmplify too much, even the new ones. What does your son think, have you asked him? I would monitor it. If he has no speech or language difficulties and is having no classroom trouble there would seem to be little advantage. At most you might want to consider an FM system in the classroom or a portable headset that could make stuff louder if he needed.

My high-achieving son has somewhat similar issues. He has moderate bi-lateral hearing loss above 2000Hz (which means he misses high-frequency sounds and word endings such as suffixes, which tend to be de-emphasized in normal speech.)

Like your son, he has never had any artic issues or speech therapy and is in advanced classes. 2 1/2 years ago, when my son was in 5th grade, our ENT recommended hearing aides. We purchased (without insurance!!) the smallest, most high-tech digital aides available. My son cried all the way home from both the initial testing/fitting session and from the appointment when we actually received the aides. He would only wear the aides if he had a sweatshirt on and the hood covering his ears. He could not handle the potential embarrassment of his peers knowing he was different. ( He was also successful at trombone that year, but did not continue with band in middle school.)

After a very unpleasant year, which included aides being mysteriously dropped in the shower or smashed to smithereens, we gave up. Bottom line, unless your child sees value in hearing better out of his less-that-efficient ear, I just wouldn’t go there.

What I would recommend, however, is that your child has a sound-field system installed in his classroom under Section 504 of the ADA (a 504 plan.) Sound field systems include 4 speakers placed strategically around a classroom with a cordless headset that amplifies the speaker’s voice. This accomodation has worked wonderfully for my son….it doesn’t identify him directly, but does enable him sufficient access to oral information in class.

We do hope that some day my son will be less defensive about his hearing, and are working with him regarding self-advocacy issues, but I think that the type of behavior we are hoping for may be more than an almost-teenager is capable of. ;-)

Karyn

Karen,

Yes, unless a child has a hearing loss that effects language and academic progress, it would not be a primary disability or warrant an IEP on it’s own.

Janis

SAR, you are most welcome!

Janis

As Karyn has suggested, a soundfield system can help all children in a classroom hear more clearly. It is really like a PA system with a mic and speakers. Honestly, I think they should be installed in every classroom! The problem I see is that if a child is nearing middle school, for example, they change classes so many times a day. The school in that case may offer a portable soundfield where the child keeps a speaker on his desk and then carries the equipment from room to room. Well, you can imagine how much adolescents like that one! They’d rather hear nothing!

I think if the child has passed the learning-to-read stage and is achieving well, I’d not push for the soundfield. If they are having difficulty, then I would.

(My child has APD and I do not request a soundfield for her…just preferential seating).

Janis

Right, I understood that. I was just surprised that even WITH an IEP, they wanted this piece handled through the health office, rather than putting it on his IEP. I insisted on at least mentioning it on his IEP because I figured it was easier for the teacher than trying to fit all the pieces for one kid together from different sources. It’s fine with me if the health office also goes over it with the teacher, but I think it’s helpful for the teacher to have as complete a picture as possible on the IEP.

Karen