19 month old (former 24wkr) tested absent on OAE

[drakesmom143]

Hi,
Not sure if we belong here or not but I have posted for experiences on other preemie forums and havent got much responses. So here it goes.

My LG was born at 24w6d @ 1 lb 4 oz. He was in the NICU for 130 days. We were told up front that he had alot of risk factors for hearing loss. However, he passed the ABR before coming home. He has also passed a second ABR and then passed 3 different tests back in June. The only thing noticed then were high reflexes and some possible fluid but he was just getting over an ear infection so we werent worried. Anyways, he is now 19 months old and we went back to the audiologist for a check up last week and his ear drums looked good this time. But the test in the little room is where I noticed a difference from before. He responded very well to sounds coming from his right but just wasnt noticing almost anything to the left. Then she came in and did the OAE and his right ear was great but the left ear tested absent twice. She sat us down afterwards and went over his risks factors again and showed us the differences over the past few visits but we still dont know if anything is wrong or not she was very vague and just said he she neede him to pass this test. We go for an ABR in the morning but they arent planning on sedating him so I am scared it isnt going to go well. We'll see.

Anyways, anyone have a child who passed several tests before getting a negative result?
Or a child who failed the OAE and passed the ABR?

Thanks

[lauraslefthook]

I am not really familiar with your situation, but I know I have read something about this either on the http://listen-up.org website or in the group I belong to there.  You might want to consider joining the email group at Listen Up and ask more there; there are lots of really knowledgable moms there with kids with various hearing issues.

I don't like the vagueness of the doctor.  Sometimes I think doctors don't think we will be able to understand things and don't give us enough information, which makes us more stressed than we need to be.

I am not sure how you can do an accurate ABR at that age without being sedated.  I have heard some conflicting information about that --- some say it is possible and others say they found it gives very inaccurate results.  Perhaps there are different machines.

I do know there are progressive losses in hearing, but I am not sure if the drugs given to preemies can cause progressive loss or for the loss to come on later.  Of course, it is also possible the earlier tests were not accurate.  I know some hospital nursery workers don't realize that some kids are supposed to "fail" the hearing test so that an audiologist can test any kid who might possibly have an issue.  I think the screening is supposed to have more kids fail than actually have a problem so they catch everyone who actually does have a hearing loss.  I know our hospital tried very hard to get my daughter to pass the newborn hearing screening.

[JoleneMomOfFour]

I have never heard of them doing an ABR on a child that age who wasn't sedated! The child has to be 100% still and the test is at least 20-40 minutes long! I don't know how you would get a 19 month old to sit 100% still for that long? Sometimes children who have been through the NICU experience or other experiences can have gradual loss and it can take some time for it to show up on any test!

Anyways, how did the test go?

[drakesmom143]

Quoting JoleneMomOfFour:

I have never heard of them doing an ABR on a child that age who wasn't sedated! The child has to be 100% still and the test is at least 20-40 minutes long! I don't know how you would get a 19 month old to sit 100% still for that long? Sometimes children who have been through the NICU experience or other experiences can have gradual loss and it can take some time for it to show up on any test!

Anyways, how did the test go?

I know this is just a little late but I do have an update. My husband managed to get him to sleep for the ABR back in Feb and he passed in both ears but she said his speech was delayed so she wanted to check him back in 6 months vs a year. We went last Friday and this time his OAE wasnt great in either ear ( he didnt test absent but he didnt pass either) and in the sound proof room he seemed oblivious to anything but voices. However, his speech has really improved in the past 6 months. His audiologist said she wasnt that concerned bc his speech is better but we now have to work with him on dropping a toy in a bucket when he hears a sound and go back in 3 months then again in 3 months after that. Not sure if she will repeat the ABR again or not. If so I will definitely request he be sedated this time. I am honestly not very worried bc seems to be doing well but I am alittle confused why we keep having to go back more and more frequently. I guess I will see in Dec. Thanks for listening.