Hi,

Thank you for sharing your experience on your community.

I’m sorry that your son was recently discharged from ENT. I appreciate how nerve-wracking waiting for your son’s autism assessment must be, especially when you have concerns that his hearing loss may be attributing to his communication delay.

Glue ear can cause a temporary or fluctuating hearing loss, and this may explain why your son’s speech and language are delayed. We have an in-house audiologist who would be able to talk things through with you.

You may also find our information about pragmatics helpful, as it explains how children with a hearing loss can sometimes miss out on the subtleties of communication and how they can be supported with their development.

If you would like any personalised support or advice please contact our Helpline. Hopefully in time other parents will also respond here and share their experiences.

Take care,

Claire

Your Community moderation team

Hi,

I just came across your post and would be really interested in the outcome/advice you're given!

My son turned 2 this week and he has bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, which is moderate in both ears. He does also suffer with some congestion/glue ear during the winter months, but this is minimal. I'm sorry to hear how much your little one is suffering with it.

We had our first appointment with a speech and language therapist last week as he still hasn't said his first word and he has minimal understanding, he also doesn't wave/point etc. After our visit she mentioned that there may be the possibility that my son could be autistic and that if he is still having issues with interaction and communication that he could be sent for an assessment for autism in 4 months time. So like you I am also concerned that a diagnosis could be incorrect and the main reason for his delay is his hearing loss. He has good eye contact, is great with food and lets me know what he wants - all communication that doesn't involve his hearing.

I hope things get sorted for you and your little one soon.

Hi 

Sorry to hear about the tough time you have been having with you son and his diagnosis.  I don't have personal experience of possible autism with glue ear (my daughter has hearing loss from  glue ear) but I thought it might be helpful for you to know that (in my experience of working with families) most often autism assessment is over a number of months - around 6months - and not diagnosed there and then (although it is sometimes and it will also depend on other factors).  If that helps at all in alleviating any of the anxiety you might be experiencing.   Best wishes to you all 

Hi, my son had his hearing diagnosed prior to having an autism assessment. He started out with what was thought to be just glue ear... It wasn't until he went to hospital to have grommets inserted, that they realised he actually had cholesteatoma. At this point, we thought the issues he was having at school were purely due to hearing... It wasn't until he had multiple issues at school, we had a full neurodevelopmental assessment done, and found out he was navigating the world through being autistic, ADHD as well as having hearing and sensory issues.

It can feel scary at first, but in the long run, it is better to know so you can ensure his needs are fully met at school. You might find he needs an EHCP (Educational Health Care Plan). You may also hind that he is denied the assessments required to decide whether he dies are at first denied by your Local Authority, but be brave, push forward over 95% that are initially denied, have that overturned at Tribunal.

Being autistic is often portrayed negatively, but as the saying goes, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” There isn't a 'type' as such, everyone is different, although they might experience similar issues and reactions.

Your best bet is to join some local Facebook groups and create your support network. Find out as much as you can and always remember that no matter what, your child hasn't changed and isn't less, just different, which is fantastic. Xxx

Clare