Au(dang!)diology

Piper had a hearing test today with Audiology.  I have to admit- this is probably my least fun –ist to visit.  Maybe it has something to do with fairly lackluster experiences the first few times (she had no intention of turning her head toward a “whoosh” sound when we started around her birthday- and really, I’d have to say that the array of toys the audiologist used were vastly more intriguing than turning to a goofy sound, but that’s a whole other soap box.)

Since we got cleared by the ABR in September, today was just a typical follow-up, because kids with Ds get their hearing tested every 6 months to ensure that nothing is changing.  And I was soooo not in the mood to go.  Not, not, not, NOT.  Of course, that couldn’t have had anything to do with the fact that I was the brilliant individual who decided to schedule the test for 8am.  Two days after a time change.  Brilliant.

We chatted with the audiologists for a few minutes before we got started.  I think they were concerned about why it had been so long since we had sound booth test (May or June last year was our last), and then I explained that we did the ABR while she was sedated in September.  There were so many notes that day that it got missed when they were looking.  One of them asked why they didn’t end up doing ear tubes and followed it with “Oh, because her ears were too small…”  I had to tell her that no, they didn’t do tubes because she didn’t need them.  And that no, she’s never had an ear infection.  And no, they didn’t find any abnormalities on the ABR.  I think the phrase “Just because she has Down syndrome doesn’t mean that she needs XYZ” slipped my lips several times. 

Anyway, for the first time EVER, Piper PASSED the sound booth with FLYING COLORS today!!!  I was sooo stoked.  She even heard stuff that the other two audiologists in the booth weren’t hearing.  And she showed off her signing skills (which, as a side note, is SO MUCH FUN when she proves that she signs, well, and in sentences.  When they don’t expect it.  AWESOME.)  They’ve never been able to get an OAE before (she H-A-T-E-S anything in her ears), but we were able to today with two of them showing her things and me holding her as close and tight to my chest as I could muster (MAN that kid is strong…).  Even THAT she was totally normal.  The tympanogram, which looks at eardrum movement, was fine.  Everything was FINE.  Wa-HOOO!!! 

Hopefully they’ll be easier from this point forward.  She was definitely more willing to participate today, which is, you know, kind of necessary for a behavioral test. 

We celebrated tonight (Piper’s passing, yes, but more so the bright sunny weather) by taking the dogs on a walk through the open space after dinner.  There weren’t too many people, so the dogs even go to go off-leash for a little while. 

Piper thought it was hilarious, and didn’t stop squealing, laughing, and hollering the whole time.  It was even more fun when she got to run after the dogs, too.  And I mean run.

She’s running here.  As fast as she can.  Can you tell?  OH, she thought she was funny.

I think she wore herself out.