He's slipping into silence. Test results page 8

[saddina]

Yes we have an ENT specialist working with the peditrition, the issue is the lab (attached to a university) takes 3 months to get seen. Both of them are concerned and irritated this process is taking so long as well.

If he's a candiate for implants, he'll get them, but he's learning to sign either way. He's had his heart set on NASA since he was 4 (his godmother programs the rovers and the robotics lab), so we need to stabalize out what he has left, and get him able to function well for the kind of work he wants to do. Mr. Saddi & I are both teachers, at his school, so we are able to work extra with him.

He was born with a growth on his brain, they removed it, so we've been carefully tracking his school progress for signs of difficulity. He struggled with phonics, so we had them bring in a whole language program and he learned to read.

Last month he brought to me a thought out plan for earth's colonazation. He explained to me that by only living on one planet mankind is at risk of extention and the clear solution is to make colonies, so that we are all spread out in case of globial catastrophe. He even had designs for immediate escape craft to lift people off in case of metor strike or other emergency, with an explination of who he would give priority to. At the end I pointed out that he'd evacuate his design team but not himself. "No mommy, it's not an error, I have to stay and get everyone out, someone else will need my seat".

I was both proud that he thinks of others first and furious that he's so willing to sacrafice himself.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I still go to the movies alot and I love opera and theater. Saw Phantom of the Opera at the Kennedy Center not too long ago.

Kids can be cruel in a regular situation, its all in how you handle it.

Don't hold him back when he says he wants to try something.

 

[EweSheep]

If his godmother can be his mentor, he would reap the benefits and his foot in the door for NASA. I dont see it as a handicap problem if he wants to be on the designing team. He would have to outshine those scientists and wow his employers of his skills, his drawings, his dream and what he has to offer them to be a team member of NASA.

Hubby loves NASA and very knowledgeable about space and reads up alot when he was young.

Don't let any speed bumps stop him or slow him down for his dreams to become one of the special teams here in the US.

 

[SophieLain127]

I'm sorry about your son. It is a big family adjustment when things don't go as planned. On a different note you may want to ask the doctor if sign language courses should be something to look into for your family. It could be a good bonding experience for the family. Just remember out of everything that goes wrong it gives you an opportunity to learn something and experience something new. Just remember that everything will be okay in the end.

 

[saddina]

He turned 9 last week, and is still very intent on NASA, so no change in that plan. I found him some learn to type software for him to pratice with, and set the tivo to record sign time to get a soft start. When he was a baby, hubby taught him a few dozen signs for things like milk, food, hungry, no more, etc.

 

[SophieLain127]

My aunt works for the IRS and she learned to Sign in order to help take phone calls. When her daughter got older she decided to take signing in college in order to help people on the phone. There will be plenty of opportunities for him. If he wants NASA then that is what he will do.

All will be well you'll see.

 

[monarc23]

I am so sorry for your son and you! How horrible that must be. I hope they can some how make him be able to hear atleast somewhat....

 

[claud]

Can you call the university directly? Can you have the ENT doc call and let them know the timing of the test is crucial? Write letters, call directors of the program (funny how, if you make a big stink of it, an opening can appear).
Have them put you on a wait list for cancellations - then call often to check if anyone canceled yet and stress how important it is to get him seen(everytime).

 

[bheila]

Yes yes yes, teach him how to sign. Now days kid who can hear 100% are learning. My step son lost his hearing when he was 1 due to meningitis. He has 65% hearing loss with his hearing aids and 100% hearing loss without them. His mother didn't think it was important enough for him to learn how to sign. It can be so difficult to have a conversation with him sometimes. He's 28 now and still hasn't taken any steps to learn. I guess he doesn't realize how much of a conversation he's missing out on

The other thing that's sad is he's a single father of a 4yr old and he doesn't hardly hear his son half the time. Scares the heck out of me to think they live alone

 

[HennysMom]

I'm so sorry for you and your son. Has he ever had ear tubes in place at any point? Our son (and daughter) each had 3 sets beginning at age 9 months for our son and 15 months for daughter (they wouldnt put them in sooner back then), and their last sets lasted until they fell out at around age 7, respectively. Both had hearing and speech issues resulting from the hearing loss, and both had their adnoids removed (as somone else mentioned on here) due to being enlarged. They also both have very large tonsils (just like I had until I had them removed finally 20 years ago).

Fluid kept building up in the ear (although hearing tests were sometimes okay and sometimes not okay) - chronic ear and sinus infections (at least 3 ear infections a month, even with tubes) and just over excessive wax (even now our DS still has this issue). All resulted in speech issues (he still has partial issues with certain letters and he's going to be 11 in October) that hopefully he'll outgrow eventually. We had to go to speech therapy for years with DD and for about a year or so with DS (we caught it early enough with him).

Hopefully your ENT will realize this cannot wait - and if you're not comfortable waiting - pay outside and see another doctor. Hearing loss is nothing to mess with and I'm sure a doctor will take payments if it comes down to it.