Variable hearing… What a concept!

So last Friday we had an appointment with Maddie’s Audiologist here in Bountiful. We had been to see him twice and performed two audiograms. We also saw another audiologist in Salt Lake City for a second opinion. As many of you know the results from those 3 different audiograms showed that Madalynn had a significant hearing improvement from what she had only a few months previously. However, things are always changing…

When we lived in Logan Madalynn’s hearing was moderate to severe loss of hearing. We had hearing aids and tried things helping her hear with hearing aids. Then after moving to Woods Cross we had three audiograms done and all of them should significant improvement. As you can see by the image to the right normal hearing is considered between 0 – 20 dB. The tests done in Logan showed her in the 40 – 80 dB range for various frequencies. This is why she was considered to have a moderate to severe hearing loss.

Below and to the right is an audiogram of what is considered normal hearing and also a graph of hearing loss. An audiogram tracks the left and right ear separately using and “X” for the left ear and a “O” for the right ear. The audiologist then tests hearing at each frequency with varied levels of loudness (or decibels). The audiologist will then get a reading at a given decibel for each frequency for each ear and you end up with a graph like the image below. So normal hearing is shown in the image with a solid line and hearing loss is shown with a dotted line (on a typical audiogram like Maddie’s you only have a graph of her hearing levels and not normal levels. This shows both for comparison purposes only).

In the latest test on Friday, Madalynn was closer to a 40 dB level in both ears (sorry I don’t have her actual audiogram… that would be nice to show). Her previous audiograms here in Woods Cross showed zero to 20 or a little over 20 (normal to mild loss). All her audiologist are stumped! Based on her audiograms Madalynn has variable hearing. Why is she supposedly gaining and losing hearing? The doctors aren’t sure… Nor are we. Is it due to fluid on the ears? Perhaps. They have been able to show the the inner ear is working perfect and receiving signals and responding perfectly . This narrows the problem down the middle ear. For unknown reasons the ear drum is not getting all the sounds processed and sent to the inner ear. We have some appointments with a genetics clinic tomorrow at Primary Children’s hospital so maybe we can find out a little more then.

Hope this has been educational and informative for all. Madalynn is doing great and excelling in her new preschool. Now if we could only determine what she’s hearing and not hearing so we can help her that would be awesome.

Other news in the family… We are heading to California on Sunday to spend the Holidays with the Jones family. We are excited to be there and can’t wait. I’m a little worried about how we are going to fit all the presents in the car but I’m sure I’ll think of something. Mya is doing great in school she loves it! Olivia is staying home and enjoys playing with her sisters and roaming the cold outdoors. Madalynn goes to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays now while Kennedy stays home with Olivia. All the girls have a favorite game of sliding down the stairs as fast as the can! They’ve even got the rug burns to prove it. Our stairs are a little steeper then most so it can get pretty fast… maybe a little too fast.

Carrie and I are music leaders for Primary in the Ward and are teaching the Primary Christmas Bells and When Joseph went to Bethlehem for the Sunday Christmas program this Sunday. I have also been called as the Ward Choir director and the choir is singing on Sunday as well. I think it’s a little ironic that they called me to lead the choir when I’ve never sang in an organized choir before. Who am I to question the Lord… so I’m doing it and it is fun, challenging and rewarding. I’ve learned lots from the choir members. Now if I could only sing a little better myself I’d be set.

Have a great week everyone!

Mike

Resources:

• Audiograms explained by Washington University
• Audiograms by the Handbook for Acoustic Ecology