Hearing Test Results!!

Yes, I know I am running behind on the blogging already!  But on Monday, Eric had a booth hearing test. 

The tests go like this:

Brad or I hold Eric on our lap with one audiologist in front of him.  The other audiologist is outside the booth with the microphone.  She talks or plays noises and makes the toys inside the booth light up in the direction the sound is coming from.  The audiologist inside watches Eric closely for responses and shows him the flashing toy even if he doesn't seem to hear the noise.  Pretty simple.

Last time Eric was sleepy so we did not get to test him very long.  This time was MUCH better.  Brad held him this time, so I got to watch through the window.  She starts at lower volumes and works her way up.  I'm not 100% sure how low, but it's not low, it's fairly loud.  I want to say they start at 60 dB.  I assume that is because of Eric's level of loss.  We know from his behavior that we would be wasting our time testing at regular everyday noise levels.  He simply doesn't respond to them.

We started with speech.  Moving from 60 dB up to 85 dB.  90 dB is the level at which we could be damaging the hearing of other two people in the room!  After we tested the speech, we moved onto just tones, but at different frequencies.  Sounds are more easily heard at lower frequencies than higer frequencies, so again, we start low and work our way up.  This is where Eric started to get tired so we only got to test at 65 db and 250 Hz. 

And...  Drumroll please...

Eric had definite responses at 85 dB for speech and 65 dB at 250 Hz!!  I know that doesn't exactly help much in real life, BUT it was amazing to see my son HEAR something.  He was so cute, he'd turn his head and wave.  = )  And to know that his ears do function is reassuring as well.  They say almost no one is totally deaf.  That if you could get enough volume, every Deaf person would hear at least a little.  But as a parent, you still wonder.

Our first Deaf event!

Last Saturday, we went to our first event in the Deaf community.  It was sponsored by the Marion Downs Hearing Center, Colorado Hands and Voices, and Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind.  It was a fun holiday party.  There were craft projects, cookie decorating (Kaitlyn had two!), Christmas carols and stories, and Santa visited!

As you can tell, Kaitlyn was not excited about Santa.  We had to pry her off of Brad and I had to go up with her.  The funny thing is,that no more than 30 minutes before this, she saw him outside as we were coming in and she was pretty excited!

It was a nice time, but it was a small event and there were not that many people there.  And all of the ones I spoke with were professionals.  I have emailed a little bit with a "Guide by your Side" through Hands and Voices and she was there, so it was nice to meet her in person.  And there were quite a few children there with cochlear implants.  The first ones I have seen in person.  I know Eric is going to be fine, but it is reassuring to see other children that are older.  Talking (and some signing) and seeming like every other kid in the world.