My daughter has had to be to the hospital a coupel of times recently due to concerns we've had about her hearing. Turns out that on an impairment scale of Mild/Moderate/Severe/Profound she's Moderate, which means that, dependant of frequency, sound has to be between 41-70 dB before she can hear it.
My wife is currently chiding herself as we both thought she was just being obstinate when she was younger ands not listening to us and was spoken to sharply on quite a few occasions for not listening when the poor mite couldn't hear us. I've told Mrs B our daughter won't remember and it now we know things'll be a lot easier.
Hearing aids get fitted in a couple of weeks and they now provide digital ones on the NHS, so they can program them to amplify the range of frequencies she can't hear as well more than those she can,clever innit
Just wondered if anyone here had experience of young kids & hearing impairment or were hearing impaired themselvs and had any tips to offer?

A friend of mine's mother can't hear at certain frequencies. She can lip read very well, but you have to be facing her. Her son learned at an early age that if he spoke at a certain pitch he could be really cheeky and she wouldn't hear.

Digital hearing aids are much better than the old analogue ones if you can get them. 74 dB is loud though so the aid will not cure her hearing. What it will do is amplyfy sounds that are just below her threshold of hearing so that she can hear them. As she is young, she has a good chance to adapt to diminished hearing.

My girlfriends brother is deaf in one ear, and his girlfriend is deaf in both ears. For him so long as you talk to his good ear, and look at him when talking it's not a problem.

for his missus, you need to be looking directly at her as you talk, but it doesn't cause them anyproblems, she's a director for lottery grants, and he is a fraud investigator, so it's no barrier to anything

[Edited on 27/6/07 by nib1980]

my daughter we believe lost hearing in right ear after mmr jab.It killed the nerve.First suspected something wrong when i repeatedly looked at personal stereo headphones for a fault.Hearing in the left ear tries to compensate.We try to make sure we are always on her left.Understand how your wife feels but she shouldnt beat herself up its life im afraid.I think we all live with some inherited problem..including obssesive car building

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's impaired hearing.
I have to say though, that your wife's reaction is totally normal. It's true that the majority of children who appear to have bad hearing are, infact, just not listening (the number of kids who I refer for audiometry who subsequently get normal tests is testamony to this!). So in most cases, it's actually appropriate to tell kids to listen better when they first appear not to be hearing so well...

When I was a sprog my parents used to get annoyed with me for not saying words properly. Turned out I actually had a problem. Got it sorted in the end and I don't bare a grudge against my folks....

The long term significance of moderate hearing loss is not so great. Especially with selective frequency digital hearing aids, it really isn't much of a barrier.

I have severe loss in my left ear, to be fair it has improved since leaving HM Forces where I got shouted at lots
But mostly due to the fact I did demolitions and battlefield simulations for the last few years of my career and spent a while fighting a war in Kuwait which didn't help matters.

We have Mary Hare school on our doorstep, they offer all manner of support for affected kids & adults alike.

Mary Hare School

My old man is getting towards being a bit deaf. If you want to talk to him, first you must grab his attention by either shouting at him, or hitting/tapping him on the arm/shoulder. Then he just turns towards you and does a combo of lip reading and actually listening to you. Made swearing quietly as a kid a bit fiddly!