Hearing Loss

[PK62]

My older, five-year old daughter has a mild hearing loss that was likely present at birth.  My wife had gestitional diabetes during that pregnancy.  We had a genetic test done, and that came back normal.  She also had an MRI, and there was not structural problem with her hearing organs.  The loss is not progressive as she has been tested now three times over the span of one year.  My younger, four-year old daughter, who was tested by an audiologist when we learned her sister had the loss, had no hearing loss according to that exam.  She was tested nine months ago.  The younger one had a check up with her pediatrician the other day, however, and had trouble on the hearing test.  How likely is it that the younger one has a hearing loss?  She had no problem nine months ago on a complete audiological work up.  Other than colds, she has not been sick since her complete work up.  

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

It does not take much to distinguish between a conductive loss and a sensory loss. A simple tympanogram, that takes about 15 seconds per ear can tell if a person has fluid/middle ear problems.  

I think the odds are 60% of all children by the age of 2 will have at least 2 episodes of middle ear infections. By the way, middle ear infections are the #1 reason anitibiotics are administered to children.

Any how, PET tubes are really not meant for draining, that would be a myringotomy, the a simple slice of the ear drum to let fluid out.  PET are used to mimic the function of the eustachean tube.

Regardless, they have nothing to do with sensory hearing loss, which is what the OP is asking about.

[Chikitsak]

My younger 8 year old is reporting same hearing loss problem. Older sibling 10 years is normal. Most (18 out of 20 kids) have this symptom of hearing loss which is due to fluid in middle year, per ENT specialist doctor. Doctor put tubes in his both years. Be carefull as this did not improve hearing of my kid. Please use caution, if surgery to put tubes for draining fluids is adviced.

[Wear/a/Jimmy]

Better to er on the side of caution. I think I would just have anual hearing examines unlesss symptoms indicate a decrease in hearing.

The odds that the two sisters have a hearing loss are....  well I don't know but I have seen it often in kids. Twin brothers come to my mind and there is a youtube video about cochlear implants with a pair of deaf sisters born to hearing parents. My point is, hearing loss can be among siblings, it does happen.