14 month old baby is getting a hearing aid next week..

[Tomtommom]

He is a very sweet little boy. Always smiling. I think that will be to his benefit.

We got his molds made yesterday, he was very cooperative, considering his age. We chose the bright orange molds, for ease of finding, incase he tosses them across the room, with a black aid. In three weeks they should be done and have an hour long appointment about how to care for the aid and everything. Then a couple days later he has an appointment with a speech evaluator, to see if he needs help and who would be best to provide it.

Poor thing. His brother's speech is awful; he has some nervous habits, like grinning while talking, causing him to mispronounce things a lot. Like clothes are plowtes. He can say 'can' and can repeat 'K' just fine, but then you tell him 'clothes' and he still says it wrong

Helicopters are tartopters. He mumbles all the time and walks away while talking to you and he has started to mimic his brother's gibberish (he runs around going gadigadigadig and he even ends sentences with it). Darn stuborn boy, that one. And his momma is foreign, so I do not sound correctly all the time.

But I suppose, if he learns to deal with us, he can take on the world. Haha.

I'm worried I am worrying too much. It sounds strange, but the more you look at him, the more I find that I worry about.

He was a large baby (9lbs) and he grew quite a flat head. The doctor told us plenty of tummy time and all that goodness, and we obliged. It has gotten MUCH better, but even at 14 months, it's still quite visible. She never seemed too worried about it, but ya know, I'm a mom, so I wonder about it. I did research on it and found some of the tell tale signs (uneven ears and facial features). It's really too late to do anything about it, but I just wonder if he could've been spared some of the issues had he received the helmet/band. It was mentioned briefly, months ago, but never been brought up after that.

That said, I have some facial uneveness (droopy eyelid that was thoroughly researched when I was 1 1/2), so it may just be genetics. I just hope he can do without some of the dificulties I had in school. Hindsight... a lot of the crap I dealt with as a kid was totally preventable. I had a pacifier until I was 7, and had to wear headgear 24/7 for several years as a tween to fix the mess. Struggled in school, was bullied, teachers considered me lazy and dumb, now all seem to have been preventable had my vision been diagnosed earlier and my hearing been checked thoroughly.

Atleast we got his hearing early.

He's starting to look so much like me.. same eye droop.. When he gets of school age I will make sure they check his eyes really well. (I have very slight astigmatism in one eye, but it turned out to be really tiring, because it's only one eye. My eye dr. didn't think I even needed glasses, but they made a HUGE difference in my energy level, because my eyes now can work together, rather than work against eachother.)

I really hate I come across as 'that parent'. But I'm just going from experience, and I know the little things that seemed not to be a big deal but slowed me down tremendously. I recognize them when I see them.

My little carboncopy baby.. haha. I hope he does better in life and not be held back by anything. I think he will be just wonderful, he's got a good start already.

 

[LauraNJ]

Have you applied for early intervention? They will come to your house to do speech and other services. It is free. Here is a link to it for your state http://rehab.alabama.gov/individuals-and-families/early-intervention/


We have 6 kids from 22 yrs old down to 2 yr old twins. I have had a special needs child because of speech issues and learning disabilities and one of the 2 yr old twins needed glasses at 15 months old. My special needs child is now in highschool, no learning diabilities, all advanced classes, a perfect 4.o, involved in sports, clubs, he is a popular kid who is kind to everyone.

I know it is a little heartbreaking when you first find out you have a child that isn't like all the other kids, you worry how it will affect them, how other kids will treat them but it works out, it really does. One of my best friends has a child who was almost deaf in both ears. It took 3 years for insurance to approve hearing aides but what a difference in him. He could finally hear so much more, he went from being silent and only talking when necessary to wanting to chat. It was awesome! He needed the hearing aides when he was 4 yrs old, he didn't get them until 7 yrs old.

I think it is great you are dealing with it now, it will make it much easier for your son. My 2 yr old is completely fine with his glasses, kids that age just accept things. They don't have preconceived ideas or worries, that is for Moms. I have had early talkers and late talkers. If you are concerned, if your instinct tells you he needs some speech help them pursue it. There is nothing more powerful than a determined mom.

Your son is absolutely adorable by the way. He looks very happy.