Worried @ 13 Month Old Hearing

Why wait? If it is a hearing problem - you can get that corrected early. If it's not a hearing problem, then you know that as well. My son didn't talk AT ALL until we started getting speech therapy....I had an evaluation through my local school district, and their early intervention program supports his speech therapy. Additionally, you could contact 1-800-earlyon (of MI) for a consultation. Please keep in mind that the options I'm giving you for speech evaluation are FREE and that early intervention is best! Good luck.

If you are concerned, call your health dept. They usually have low cost/free hearing screenings.
C.

Hi C.~
Kids have a great ability to tune out mom and dad. But take these 2 months and experiment with him. During play, sit with him facing you while you try out different volumes and tones, trying to get him to repeat. See if you can make him say the word (any attempt will do) before you give him an object. When teaching our son to sign (we have a deaf relative) we would make him sign the word before we gave him what he was asking for. In the beginning, that was us taking his little hands and making the sign while we said the word, then giving him what he wanted. At the very least, you will be able to give the doctors much more information about what he can/can't hear. In turn, they will be able to focus their treatment where your son needs it most. Good luck, keep us posted.
~L.

My best friend has a little boy who was exactly like that. He did have a lot of ear infections when he was small, but by 12/13 months, he was not responding and hardly said any words. The Doctor said the same thing...wait until 15 months to see. The Doctor told her to pick a word of the day, like ball or something familiar. Say it. Show it. Drill it in. See if you can get him eventually to repeat it (her boy never did actually until he said ball just this week at 18 months). What my friend noticed first was he eventually understood what they were saying. They would say "go get the ball" and finally he would get the ball. It has been a very slow process (didn't get many words until 16/17 months). He is now 18 months and slowly improving. Even now he is just picking up more words (prob doesn't know more than 10 at this point). So that is her story and it is working out for the best. So I just wanted to let you know there are others out there. Hopefully yours will work out for the best also.

We had something similar. My 2nd son said a couple of words. Dog, Cat, and something that sounded like Outside whenever I opened the curtains. But then he stopped responding to us, and stopped using his words right around a year old.

His issue turned out to be developmental delays and autism. He was/is delayed in all areas then the autism on top of it further complicates the communication issues.

I would go with my instincts. I've heard too many times how Mom's waited per their Dr. when they "knew" something wasn't right, and it wasn't. What difference will 2 months make if he can hear? Could it make a difference if he can't? Read up on it a little. Does he react to loud noises around him, and maybe is too intent on what he is playing with to respond to his name? My 1 year old never wanted to respond when I called her name, but she could hear fine.

I just read a related article aobut this tonight in the new issue of Parents. Please read Rebecca W's response carefully. Really, what is the point in waiting? Get him checked out and if his hearing is fine check on other possibities.

Kids have a great talent of "hearing what they want to hear", in other words, ignoring you when they feel like it. Does he hear the neighbor's dog barking, or a big truck drive by, or even jump or get startled when something is dropped or makes a big noise? If he responds to all of these, I wouldn't be too concerned with his hearing and chalk it up to being an independent little boy. I would still show him toys or picture books and repeat words over and over to him, but he just might not repeat them until he is ready. Good luck!

Pediatricians, too bad we are soo dependent on them... C... early on of michigan can help you.. they can do a free screening and all and send u to a audiologist to see. they can test a 13 month.. i have been thru it. I would not want to wait 2 more months to see if my child has a hearing problem.. What is your childs background- lots of ear infections ? Get back to me and i can get you a few #'s
good luck
C. S.