Baby does Not Respond to Noises (8 month)?

Question

Went to the ENT and they said her hearing was fine. However, when we call her name loudly or even clap she often does not turn her head. Of course she can't say I can't hear in this ear but what else is a cause?

They did a hearing test where a device was placed in each ear. It was done in a booth and she passed. They say physically she is fine but left it at that. I am afraid of autism or either she is just very laid back. She does have a brother so it is busy here. We may check with Easter Seals.

She was in the booth on my lap but did not have toys as a reward. The machine just lighted up when it got whatever reaction it wanted. It was in a sound booth and done by an audiologist but I am wondering if there is something else for babies.

I know when breastfeeding, she will be startled if a door is slammed or something falls on the floor loudly. our ENT is supposed to be reputable. They seemed to have no worries.

She was 6 weeks premature and my wife had a hard pregnancy. We are in the Greater Charlotte, NC area.

Answer 1

It sounds like HearKat has some really good information for you on your daughter coming from an audiologist's point-of-view. I am coming from an occupational therapy point-of-view. I did not read HearKat's entire post so I apologize if I repeat anything she said.

You mention concern of autism. Signs of autism are recognizable in children as young as 6-8 months (sometimes younger) depending on the skill of the observer. Autism cannot yet be diagnosed until 14 months of age--many will not diagnose until age three. Your daughter is developmentally about 6.5 months old I gather because of her prematurity.

I really do not have enough information on your daughter to give any detailed information regarding what I think may be going on. I am not saying she has autism just because she does not respond to sounds. I would need to know if you have any other concerns about her development, ability to relate, behaviors (like if she is really difficult to calm down or if any movements, sounds, touches really bother her), eye contact, sleeping routine, how often it is that she does not respond to sound, if you can eventually get her attention without touching her or moving into her line of sight, along with some developmental history.

You mentioned possibly seeking the aid of Easter Seals which I would recommend. If you are concerned then there is probably somthing going on that needs to be checked out by a professional. There is something called Auditory Processing Disorder in which a child can hear but does not respond to sound. There is also something called Sensory Processing Disorder (Sensory Integration Disorder) in which multiple sensory systems are affected. This may be the infant that does not respond to loud noises but may startle and overreact to sounds you do not notice, the child who is difficult to get to sleep or who does not stay sleeping once asleep, the child who sits in one place and does not move, the extrememly quiet and content child, the extremely active and busy child, a child who does not eat certain textured foods or does not like certain textures, reacts very negatively to being placed on the stomache, etc. If multiple things above describe your daughter, it is possible that she has a Sensory Processing Disorder. An occupational therapist is trained to observe and evaluate your daughter for the above and more.

I wish you the best of luck. Please, if you are concerned do not let the doctors tell you it is nothing. Parents have a sense when something is not right with their children, and the earlier treatment is started the better the results for the child will be.

I will be checking back here if you have more information or questions for me.

Answer 2

Hi- I'm an Audiologist.

Did they perform a hearing test with specialized equipment at the ENTs? At that age the child would be placed in your lap in a sound booth, and we would present sounds from the speakers and watch for the child to turn and look for the sounds, which is then rewarded by having a toy above the speaker light up or move. This is called "Visual Response Audiometry (VRA)" or "Conditioned Orientation Response (COR) Audiometry"

Another test that is don at that age and even on newborns is called Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE), where sounds are presented to the ear with a small earplug, and the device measures what are like echos of the sounds presented. It sounds like this was what was performed on your child. This tells us whether each ear can respond to sound, but at 8 months, we prefer to do the behavioral testing above, where we can see how the child is reacting when sound is heard, since it involves higher cognitive functioning.

Some children that hear perfectly normally don't respond to sound in the environment unless they interest them. And if they are around busy/noisy environments often, they learn to tune them out. But still they should startle if a door slams and they couldn't see it. It doesn't guarantee normal hearing, though. Another indicator at that age is the child's vocalizations. Children who are deaf will stop cooing and babbling around 7 months of age. So if your child is still vocalizing, that means she can hear her own voice to some extent, but also doesn't guarantee totally normal hearing.

If your ENT office is not equipped for behavioral (VRA/COR) testing on infants, consider going to a Children's Hospital in your area. The Audiologists there will perform thorough evaluations, give you a detailed explanation of the results as well as a report that will be sent to your pediatrician. In addition, from working in that environment, they are exposed to kids with many different medical and developmental conditions, and from your history information and working with the child, they may be able to suggest other specialists and evaluations to consider if your child's hearing is indeed normal.

If you are concerned about other developmental issues, such as an Autism Spectrum Disorder, are there any other signs or symptoms that have you concerned? Typically it is being over-sensitive to sensory information (whether sounds, lights, or textures, etc.) that are characteristic of those types of disorders. Was your child born premature or were there other complications that may have caused some delays in her development?

• ADDENDUM •
If she was 6 weeks premature, then you factor that in when looking at developmental milestones... so if her chronological age is 8 months (39 weeks), her developmental age is 6 1/2 months (or 33 weeks). The VRA/COR testing I mention can only be done when the child is able so sit independently and hold herself up and turn her head. Your baby may be just mastering these skills now, and therefore, you would not expect that she will turn her head to sounds.

ALL states have Early Intervention Programs to provide therapeutic and educational services to children who have some delays in their development. This is typically administered on by the County Social Services department. Do a web search for "Early Intervention" and your county's name, and you should find some information...

Answer 3

I really dont think there is anything wrong with her. I see this all the time in babies. Theyre very excited about the world around them, and get lost in the new sights and different sounds.

They tend to ignore other things when in that 'spaced out' zone. Ive even seen things like falling objects and machines ignored. Even yelling the childs name right nex to it.

I honestly think you're making more of it than there is. Especially since her hearing tests were fine. Every child in the US is tested at birth, and she was tested again at 8 months with no signs of problem.

If you keep chasing it down like this, and hounding doctors before she's old enough to interact with a different hearing test, you're going to end up with a doctor who perscibes a medication or treatment, or even surgery, just for the sake of making money and shutting you up. I see that sort of thing happen all the time too.

Get a second opinion if you really feel something is wrong. Otherwise, wait until she's a toddler. Ive never known a baby who didnt out grow this behavior.

Answer 4

The fact that she will startle at loud noises is a good thing. I have an 8month old, and you can sometimes call her name and she will not respond. I think that sometimes they get so absorbed in what they arelooking at or doing it just gets blocked out. If you repededly call her name making it slightly louder each time she will snap out of her daze! Also maybe she knows it is mom or dad etc, and knows you will be there when she want to respond!!

Answer 5

Does she seem pre occupied looking at something else? Is your house noisy during most part of the day? Maybe she doesnt relate clapping as being a sound that is out of the ordinary, you know something that she wants to "Check Out" See if you get the same result with one of her favorite noise making toys.

Answer 6

My six month old responds to some noises, and others not. Your child could just be ignoring you, or just used to the noise. Just incase you should get the hearing checked at its next doctor appointment. (9 months) Sometimes illness or high fever can affect the hearing. Ear infections too

Answer 7

Check for Autism

Answer 8

i would definately be concerned by 8 months everything should be catching her attention. I am not sure what the problem could be but if it is not her ears then something else is going on.

Answer 9

Um well they here realy loud nosies but not very low 1s

Answer 10

Maybe she just can't make sense of the sounds yet.