My son was in the NICU for the first month of his life from complications at birth and as a result he didn't get his first newborn hearing screening done until 26 days old, and failed in the right ear. He had a ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response), done while he was asleep when he was just 7 weeks old, and it showed a significant hearing loss. But, he was referred to a University who could handle this situation and give him an accurate diagnosis. He had his first sedated ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) done on May 1, 2008 at 5 months old and was diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss in the right ear and had normal hearing in the left ear. We took him every 3 to 6 months to have Behavioral Evaluations (BE) done and everything seemed to be going okay. In July of 2009 the BE indicated he was losing hearing in the left (his good ear.) So, he had another sedated ABR done in November of 2009... 3 weeks before his 2nd birthday. The ABR showed normal hearing in the left. They tested Christian all the way up to 100db in the right and there was no brain response. No response at 91 db+ is considered profound (complete) hearing loss. 91 db is like the sound of a push mower. I was so thankful Christian still had normal hearing in the left that he didn't hit me that he was deaf on the right side until we left the hospital. When I finally thought of the audiologist saying the right ear was completely gone, I began to cry! I was mad and I was angry. But, then I thought to myself....he was deaf in that ear yesterday and we managed just fine. So, there is no reason why we couldn't today or any other day. Then I thought to myself "what if the left ear goes?" I started to lose control again and then I thought "If it is God's will then we will find the way to manage." That is still what I think about it too this day!
So, Are you wondering what caused the hearing loss?
Well, so am I and everyone else in his life. We don't know 100% certain what caused it and more then likely we never will know. He had a CT and MRI scan done in October of 2009. Neither one of the tests revealed anything abnormal in his ears. He was diagnosed with Sensorineural Hearing Loss (meaning nerve damage.) Which is probably the best possible answer. Reason number 1, when he was born he has hydrocephalus(extra fluid on the brain) and had a blockage to the blood supply in his brain which could of put pressure on the nerves and could of caused the nerve damage. Reason number 2, he was on several ototoxic medications that have been known to cause hearing loss. Reasons 3 &4 are being on a ventilator for over 5 days (he was on one for 8) and having low apgar scores (his where 1 at 1 minute, 2 at 5 minutes and 6 at 10 mintues) which are very low! I personally believe with all my heart it was the pressure on the nerves from the fluid...but, there is no way to prove it! But, it is any ones guess and those are the possibilities.
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