Meghan,
While its possible that your child may have hearing loss, there are other ways to teach them, if you’re able to teach signing, I would encourage that, then as they progress into understanding you, you can then teach them to write, as well as teach them visually. I pray that it’s not a hearing loss, but even if it is, never give up. I knew somebody who was born with a severe hearing impairment, but using everything at his disposal, he could hear roughly 65% of what’s going on. granted, you might not think that’s a lot, but considering that his hearing was around 10% when he was a child, that’s actually quite the improvement.
Aaron
Thank you again for all of the advice and well wishes and hugs!
We got his appointment moved up to the 17th, and since my mother in law works at this clinic, she asked her friend who does scheduling for the ENT to keep us in mind if there are any other cancellations sooner. i told her all i need is one day notice. she heard about my office closing, so she knows why we’re trying to get in sooner rather then later.
we’ve been working on the sign language. he does signs for more and for drink, but that’s it. it’s hard when daycare isn’t reinforcing them all the time. i’d like to think the DVD’s will help, but he doesn’t really like watching tv all that much because he’d rather be physically doing things. (maybe that will change when he can hear it better?)
i’m going to keep trying though. we’re getting some dvd’s for him from the library this week.
i’ll keep you all posted.
No fluid in his ears.
so now we have to figure out why he can’t hear and rule out other conditions.
that means bloodwork and EKG to ensure kidney and heart are functioning properly. (i guess there are other conditions that will accompany hearing loss they are trying to rule out). they are also sending us to Children’s Hospital in chicago to get a CT scan of his ears to see if there is anything physcially wrong, and the Audio Brain Stem Response test again to see if his inner ear is functioning. Both of these we have to have him sedated for.
I’m just crossing my fingers that they will get this done ASAP because I will only have insurance through August and then I get laid off and who knows what kind of coverage I’ll have then. at least right now all of this testing will be covered 100% with no deductible.
I also found out insurance companies don’t cover hearing aids, so we’re going to start socking money away for that now as well because the dr said chances are that he’ll need some.
I have a lot of stress on my plate, but I’m happy we caught it when we did. We got him some sign language DVD’s and sent one with him to daycare. I’m already seeing him signing for “Eat” when he’s hungry and “more” when he wants more. my day care lady said the other kids enjoyed learning all of the signs too, and have been using them around him. so hopefully he’ll pick up some that way as well.
cross those fingers that we’ll get the tests done ASAP and start working on getting his hearing aids so my little booger can learn to say “I love you, Mommy” (though it’s super cute hearing him say “Bob” to everything right now. hahaha)
Meghan, the fact that your son can already sign a few words is GREAT NEWS!!! And it’s awesome that he will be able to continue using it in daycare. I’m sure your little boy is very happy to finally have a way to communicate with you!
Tests like that can be emotionally draining, but hang in there. Have you looked into Cobra insurance? My DH got laid off a few years back, and it really helped us out. Glad to hear the signing DVD’s are helping!
I was going to mention COBRA as well. And if you are in IL (not sure if you are but you mentioned Chicago) if you are on COBRA your child will be automatically eligible for All-Kids (the state insurance plan for kids). All-Kids will more than likely cover hearing aids.
Good luck with your upcoming testing. My son had a sedated ABR test at Childrens a couple years ago.
Thank you all so much for the support. we got the prices on the cobra, and to extend our coverage it costs $1050 each month! :ick: but that would be cheaper then paying for this stuff out of pocket if it comes to that. i’ll definitely look into the all kids program if it comes to that. thank you for the resource.
was the sedation hard on your son? owen’s never been under before, so i’m terrified he’ll have a reaction or something. i guess he’ll be at one of the best children’s hospitals if that happens, so they’ll be prepared, but still…it’s still worrisome!:pout:
My daughter had to go through surgery (minor) when she was 18mos. They knocked her completely out and about 90 minutes after the surgery was over, she was at a restaraunt eating french toast sticks.
oh thank goodness. that’s wonderful to hear.
no word on the ct and abr yet. i’m going to try calling the coordinator at our clinic who is working on getting it all scheduled for us today. i hope it can be done soon!
on the job front, i have 2 interviews in the next couple days. they’re just filter interviews, so i’m not expecting the world, but hopefully if they do work out eventually, their insurance plan will be as good (and cheaper!) then ours now. fingers crossed, and spirits up! that’s how i’m getting through this! 
oh, and lots of knitting! :teehee:
Just wanted to say and that I am thinking of you…Chris
My son is 2 and a half now and though he can hear just fine, he started doing signs between 8 and 10 months. At ten months he had several and was using them all the time (milk, water, drink, eat, please and thank you).
I taught him because I used to work with special needs kids and used SL a lot and I figured if he could communicate that young we wouldn’t have to deal with all the crying and whining that some kids do when they can’t say what they want.
It was the best thing I ever did- and I even went into his daycare class this year and taught all the kids how to sign along with singing the ABC’s.
Owen is Owen and he will do things his own way, as all kids do, whether he has some hearing loss or not. Maybe it’s just the ex teacher in me, but that is how I like to look at it… good luck with everything!
My son has a lot of medical issues so he has been sedated numerous times. He has never had a bad reaction, all his sedated procedures have gone well. The ABR was an easy one, I’m sure he will do fine…but I totally understand your worry. Good luck!
And good luck with your interviews!
Still 
for Owen and your family. I hope your job search will be successful.
Oh Meghan…praying for you and for your little guy! I taught my kids some sign language when they were little…not a lot but what i knew and it’s amazing how fast they pick it up. Owen is going to be great, whether he has hearing loss or not.
ordered a second sign language dvd today (pay day!) so hat should be coming next week. the kids at daycare really like the one i’ve been sending with him, and the older ones are using it regularly and showing our DCP (day care provider). so i’m glad that is working out. i told her i’d be giving her copies to keep and she was very excited about it.
the ABR is scheduled for august 23rd. so far they siad they can’t do the CT scan the same time. i’m calling on monday to see what can be done about that, and seeing if i can get on a waiting list to be moved up. we’re going to have the doctor call as well to suggest it should all be done at once too. then i realized i’m going to have to check and make sure the audiologist, the CT person and the anesthisiologist all take united health care so our bills will get paid. it’s so much work when you have to organize all this stuff and coordinate insurance. its like having a second job! :ick:
hats off to people who do this all the time with their kids. i know that owen could have it SO much worse, so i promise not to complain too much.
Keeping you and your little boy in my thoughts and prayers.
My DD had to be sedated last month for an MRI, she has a muscular/shoulder issue and they are ruleing out things right now, she was up and moving around pretty quickly and was at the movies with Grandma the next afternoon.
I have hearing loss as an adult, I was just tested this week and have lost 20 to 30 % of my hearing, so hearing aids are in my future also, I have to start putting money away. Thank goodness for insurance, but still with what they take out if my check and my copays, it really costs alot some months. I am type 1 diabetic and have numerous prescriptions each month.
thank you so much for the support. i’m sorry to hear about your hearing loss, but glad to know you got it diagnosed and are working on getting those hearing aids so you’ll be 100% again. I’m interested to hear what insurance you have, and how much they cover for you. it’s so hard for me to believe they don’t cover anything…at all…
so worried about getting all this stuff done, finding a new job, and working out speech therapy or whatever with the company…my plate is so full of worries right now. blech.
so for now, i’ll just love my snuggles, playing tag in my living room, and hearing that silly little laugh he does. i love that.