Newborn hearing test

dedeyoba

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with a newborn not passing the hearing test. My little girl passed in one ear but did not pass in the other at the hospital. We retested today (5 days post partum) and had the same results. We now have to wait 4 weeks for a more definitive hearing test. I'm so scared that she has hearing loss in her one ear. The doctor said it is still possible that she had fluid in her ear and once it clears she will pass.

Anyone have any experience with not passing the hearing test and what was the result?

Thanks!

DTNZ4Ever

I know it's hard but don't freak out. It sounds like your doctor is not too concerned but doing his job by following up. It's hard waiting I know.

CherryPicked

I'm an audiologist - I know it's hard not to stress but many babies do not pass the screen and then do just fine on the diagnostic testing.  Your doctor is knowledgeable about hearing in that it is very possible that there is just some fluid that needs to clear up.  If you ever have questions about hearing loss feel free to message me!

babylimas

Will has failed multiple times and meets with an audiologist next week. The doctors told me the newborn hearing screening is very imprecise and not a good gauge. He is very responsive to noise and opens his eyes when I talk so I think he will be just fine.

peachy0709

I am a FTM, but I have heard the same thing that PPs are say - that the early tests are not as reliable.  The woman who taught our breastfeeding class said her son failed the one at birth and then a follow up, but has absolutely no hearing issues now.  Sorry you're dealing with this.

amdecker1016

Mia did not pass. She scored like a 90% and we follow up thursday with another test. I freaked not going to lie. But they said that since she was a c/s that she could still have fluid in her ears like PP said.

dedeyoba

Thank you everyone for your encouraging words. I will be thinking positive thoughts for all if our little ones.

@kderoy thank you for offering to answer questions. Hopefully the next test will go well and I won't need to follow up, but if not, I will certainly reach out to you.

pepperedmoth

No baby experience, but one of my besties from college was born deaf in one ear and overall it had kind of a cool impact on her life. She and her parents worried she'd lose hearing in the other ear (she hasn't) so she learned ASL and now she has a second language and almost a second community.

She doesn't identify as Deaf, but she has a lot of connections in that world, it's certainly a big PART of her identity, and I think if you asked her she'd say she wouldn't have chosen differently (though I never have asked her---just seen how happy she is to have that part of herself).

I'm sure everyone else is right and it's nothing to worry about because your daughter fully hearing, but even thinking worst-case scenario and she DOES have a partial hearing loss---She should be fine!

ProudMommy030614

my DS 2 didn't pass the newborn hearing test, or the one in the pedi office two different times and about two weeks apart. We had to take him to a specialist that did extensive testing. We found out that his hearing was just fine but the shape of his ear canal was what made the hand held hearing testers give a false fail. They don't fit in his ear properly. He is 8 now and has been periodically retested and his hearing is great. Even if he doesn't listen to me! Good luck

KariB509

I was going to say that about fluid in the ear before I even read that you wrote about it.
That was my experience. Ds didn't pass in one ear, probably because of fluid, and they came back the next day and he passed. I know it's easier said than done but I wouldn't worry just yet!
Also, as someone above mentioned, even if it's the worst case scenario, you know she has hearing in one ear and that's great. My husband's very smart, successful therapist cousin only has hearing in one ear. She doesn't even notice it and has no issues. By the time they discovered it, she was an older child and assumed that everyone was like her! But like I said, try not to worry just yet!