Question:
My granddaughter is 3 months old. she did not pass the hearing test in the hospital and she have not passed 2 more since the original. They say she can hear high tones in one ear and the other ear has a retracted eardrum and she is not responding at all in that ear. She was born 3 weeks early but had no problems or issues other than this hearing problem. Is this normal? And can the retracted eardrum be corrected with a possibility of her hearing being restored completely? Thank you for any information regarding this situation.
Answer:
It is advantageous to you and your granddaughter to be pro-active when it relates to congenital hearing loss. The earlier the investigation, the better. It sounds as though you are already doing the right thing and are connected to an experienced pediatric hearing center. They should guide you through a stepwise investigation and treatment plan, which may include surgery for eardrum repair and/or cochlear implantation. These decisions are individualized based on the details of each case.
Where is she being treated? If you are in NY and wish an evaluation, I would be happy to help.
Best of luck
Neil M Sperling, MD
New York Otolaryngology Group
36A East 36th Street
New York, New York
www.NYOGMD.com
Associate Professor
Department of Otolaryngology
SUNY-Downstate College of Medicine
Brooklyn, New York
