Hearing screening test for 2.5 years old kid

ComputeAngel

Hi Guys,

I am posting this on behalf of my friend. Please forgive me if this is not the right forum.

My friend has a 2.5 years old son and he has not starting talking yet. The thing is he has not said a single word yet which according to he is not normal. She says at this age he should have said some words like papa, mama etc...

Health visitor has recommended Hearing screening test but she is bit confused/worried.

Does anybody on this forum know how to prepare the kid for this test as all the information available online is for babies and not for children .

is this something that she should be worried about or is it normal for the children of this age?

I have no idea as have no kids but any help in this regard will be appreciated.

Thanks

olgadapolga

If the screening is similar to the area I am in, it will initially involve the same test used on babies at birth, to ensure that the inner ear/auditory nerve functions correctly, so there is nothing to prepare the child for really. Not a lot more can be said as to what will/will not happen until that screening has been carried out.

As for telling you to tell your friend not to worry, well there's not much point as she will worry anyway until she has some answers as to her son's lack of speech. My mother told me that I didn't speak until I was about three - according to her, I didn't need to say anything as my older siblings knew what I wanted, and then, when I did start talking, it was in proper sentences.

HTH

sulkisu

DS1 had a speech delay and had his hearing tested at around the same age.



The test involved checking inside his ears, and then a series of games/activities where he had to respond to sounds. For example one involved putting little men into a boat everytime he heard a beep. Another was picking up a ball each time he heard the noise. He lost focus quite quickly (which is common at that age, and found some instructions difficult to follow) and the test had to be repeated 6 months later.


The test itself was nothing to worry about, but not really something that you can prepare a child for. By their second birthday the experts say that a child should say about 50 words and be putting words together i.e. making spontaneous two word phrases. No words at all at 2 and a half is unusual, so it is definitely worth getting checked, but your friend should be reassured to know that the vast majority of children do catch up. Mine did - he is still behind his peers, but only slightly.

Xaniwoop

My daughter was also speech delayed and had these tests at around this age. They were pretty much as Sulkisu described, I just wanted to add that my DD sat on my lap the whole time and thought we were just playing fun games with the lovely nurse. Nothing to worry about at all. We also got recalled as she had a bit of a cold at the time of testing and they wanted to make sure she was tip top before signing her off.

In the end my DD was monitored by the speech therapy team but never needed any intervention, she just caught up with everyone else and now never stops!

This thread made me smile a little as I posted something very similar myself when the HV first referred us to the SLT and everyone on MSE reassured me that it was quite usual for children to be late talkers and it all probability she would catch up and they were right!

Buick

My brother's first child did not speak much until he was three. His younger siblings seemed to speak at an earlier age.

sulkisu

Xaniwoop wrote: »

My daughter was also speech delayed and had these tests at around this age. They were pretty much as Sulkisu described, I just wanted to add that my DD sat on my lap the whole time and thought we were just playing fun games with the lovely nurse. Nothing to worry about at all. We also got recalled as she had a bit of a cold at the time of testing and they wanted to make sure she was tip top before signing her off.

In the end my DD was monitored by the speech therapy team but never needed any intervention, she just caught up with everyone else and now never stops!

This thread made me smile a little as I posted something very similar myself when the HV first referred us to the SLT and everyone on MSE reassured me that it was quite usual for children to be late talkers and it all probability she would catch up and they were right![/QUOTE]



Me too! Although at the time, it was one of the most annoying thing that people could say, along with the anectdotes about 'so and so's' child who didn't speak until they were 5 years old but who now has a double first from Oxford (slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean!). It was well intentioned, but I didn't let it prevent me from seeking help for my child - even though he caught up on his own.

ComputeAngel

Thanks everyone for replying.

Xaniwoop

Me too! Although at the time, it was one of the most annoying thing that people could say, along with the anectdotes about 'so and so's' child who didn't speak until they were 5 years old but who now has a double first from Oxford (slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean!). It was well intentioned, but I didn't let it prevent me from seeking help for my child - even though he caught up on his own.

Good point. Actually the SLT were really great about this, didn't make me feel neurotic for asking for help but didn't worry me either. I don't know if the system is universal or just in our area, but the way they ran special play sessions that you were invited to every 6 months just so they could assess your child and offer intervention if necessay was great. You felt you were in the system and your child would be given help if they needed it but you weren't hogging their precious time for nothing. I'd definitely recommend getting it checked out to anyone with concerns as the system is geared up for lots of referrals of children who are just developing at different rates in order to pick out those that need help rather than time.

Savvy_Sue

It isn't the kind of thing you either can or should prepare the child for, they just play games with them (although DS1 was more interested in trying to find the dolly's belly button under her clothes than doing anything else he was supposed to).

Some children just wait until they have something worth saying before they speak. When DS1 did speak, it was in complete sentences. But you are right to get it checked out.

NoAngel

There is no need to prepare as it will be a case of playing a game when he hears a sound and the audiologist will explain everything at the time. Its a quick test normally taking around 20 mins