A gradual deterioration
Melanie Brown, from London, first became aware that her daughter Chloe, aged 8, had a hearing impairment when she was just over three years old.
"I initially took Chloe to the doctor with an ear infection. Over the following couple of years, when it was obvious her ear problems kept returning, Chloe was diagnosed with glue ear and was given antibiotics on each recurrence. After referral to an ENT specialist, when she then failed a number of audiology tests, she went on the waiting list to receive grommets. It was only while the grommets were being fitted that the cholesteatoma came to light.
"There was in fact a large cholesteatoma in each ear, and the week after the discovery, Chloe underwent a CT scan and was put under the care of an ENT surgeon. The surgeon believed the cholesteatomas had been growing for more than three years and therefore the problem was quite severe. It would be necessary for Chloe to have surgery to remove the growths, but it wasn't known what her eventual level of hearing would be."
Melanie had been aware throughout that Chloe was having trouble hearing and had been noticing a gradual deterioration in the clarity of her speech.; She was careful to make others aware of Chloe's problems.
"I spoke to all her teachers and her friends' parents about it and I have also always encouraged Chloe to look at people when she is talking to them so she has developed an ability to lip read. However, I feel that in the last couple of years, her social interaction has suffered as children of her age group tend to talk more quietly, rather than playing loud games, which she found easier to get involved in. As a result, she looks to younger children for social interaction.
"It is good to know that there are organisations such as Deafness Research UK offering information and advice. I feel that it is so important to raise the awareness of hearing conditions which are not so commonly experienced in the hope that other children in the future may benefit from earlier diagnosis."
