Do You Hear What I Hear?

Cooper and Conner had check ups/follow up appointments with our pediatrician Monday morning.  Conner failed his hearing test.  (They used the infant hearing test that doesn’t require active feedback/input/following instructions from the patient.)  The peds recommended we follow up with a peds ENT doctor.

 

I called the ENT doc when we left the pediatrician’s office, and they happened to have a cancellation occur just before I called, so we snagged that opening.  Conner had his hearing tested with an audiologist at the ENT’s office, and he basically failed that test as well.

 

The test revealed that Conner can hear some sounds, but not all sounds.  They did a test that detects the amount of movement the eardrum has, which revealed very little movement (not good).  This made the doctor suspect there’s fluid hiding behind Conner’s eardrum, which could be the source for poor hearing and poor movement of the eardrum.

 

The ENT put Conner on an antibiotic for 2 weeks that works about 70% of the time to clear up fluid.  If the fluid clears up with the antibiotic, we should see an increase in Conner’s ability to hear. 

 

If there’s not an increase in Conner’s hearing after his course of antibiotics, we will need to consider ear tubes.  And if the ear tubes don’t increase hearing, we will need to consider hearing aids.

 

The discovery of Conner’s hearing issues might explain why the orphanage staff felt like Cooper was so much more high functioning than Conner.  I don’t know, but it’s something to consider.  If Conner couldn’t/can’t hear, that would explain a lot about his development delays (in addition to being left in a crib 24/7).  Poor little guy!!!

 

Please be praying that God will give Conner the gift of hearing.  It would be awesome if God would heal Conner’s hearing the same way He healed his heart.

 

BTW, the ENT was amazed that neither boys has any heart issues.  He kept commenting on the percentage of children with Down syndrome who have heart issues, and how rare it would be to adopt two boys with Ds with neither one having a heart issue.  Then we realized that in Ukraine, most of the children with Down syndrome who have heart issues don’t live to be six years old.  They would normally die of heart failure since people with Down syndrome are not allowed to be treated in most Ukrainian hospitals.  So sad.  Praise God for healing Conner’s heart and allowing Cooper’s heart to be healthy.

 

We adore these precious gifts from God!