Flat Ears

So…we saw the audiologist on Monday. They did a few tests. One was a test where they placed these probes into his ears to see if the inner structures were working the way they should (Otoemissions test). That was inconclusive because he was wiggly. So we went back and tried to do a hearing test. They had him sit in my lap and be a statue and they had Eric sit in front of me and try to distract him occasionally. Then she would talk to him through the speakers or make various figures in the room animate and make sounds and see if he responded to them. He did …sometimes…but not consistently. So…that was inconclusive as well. Then she did the tympanogram. Right ear was FLAT. Left ear was almost flat.

On a normal tympanogram this is what you’d see..

This is what she saw...
Sooooo…now we have to go see an ENT to figure out why. More often than not a flat tympanogram means that there is fluid trapped in the middle ear. Sometimes it can mean other things. Like a tumor. Which I had in MY ear. But I’m not going to go there. If it’s fluid, it could conceiveably be causing him not to hear correctly and in turn it could also be connected to his not babbling. That would be much more “fixable” than the alternative reason for his not babbling. I could handle that.