Trelise's Hearing and Vision Test

Our system here works on a cycle where a hearing tester comes to your child's pre-school and tests everyone's ears on a semi regular basis. Quite some time before we left Wellington Trelise was tested and failed her test. Because a failed test could be because of a temporary issue like a cold you need to fail two in a row to be referred on to the health system. Trelise's speech is not as clear as other children which makes her hard to understand and causes her frustration. The more I had been thinking about it the more I wondered if hearing was her issue and it has reduced her patience and is causing her to flip out at times.

I'm been patiently waiting for the next round of tests - when we joined up at Kindy one of the first things I made them aware of was Trelise's failed test. I mentioned it again in passing a few weeks ago and one of the teachers said "Oh the system has all changed now and you have to take them for the tests" "Yikes! and under my breath thanks for telling me! The testing office is just down the road thankfully so I rushed down.

But being a small centre hearing and vision tests are only held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday's of the month between 10 - 12pm - so my first visit was unsuccessful.

2nd attempt - pulled Trelise out of kindy early to race down to find the office empty as I had misread my calendar.

so I'm been waiting patiently for the 1st Tuesday of the month to roll around. I went to pick up Trelise early today and found a notice on the Kindy's door saying that hearing and vision checks are being held today at the Plunket rooms (totally different place on the other side of town). The admin lady rang and spoke to someone who confirmed that they we holding them at the Plunket rooms. So off we went. I decided to go to the Plunket rooms instead of the hearing testing place (which was closer) as I thought there couldn't possibly be two hearing clinics running on the same day and as the Admin lady had rung up the Plunket ones must be where it is. The Plunket rooms are off the main state highway so I grabbed my girls and forcefully had to steer them away from the road. Got inside and found - no hearing tests! Rang the phone number I had to have a long winded conversation with someone who said that I probably would have missed the other place as the hearing tester as she was leaving early.

I could only be described as half insane by now as I dragged everyone back out to the car. I rushed and lucky for us the office was still open and she wasn't rushing off.

I dragged the tribe inside and Trelise got her vision and hearing tested and failed both! So we now have her referal. She failed her hearing test with no high tones detected. Explains why me screaming at her often has no result!! I'm confused now why we weren't referred after failing the first test as the way she failed was not usual and it's unlikely to be because of glue ear.

I'm hoping that the audiology appointment comes around quickly - if it doesn't then we will have an option of paying for one privately. I'm not pleased that she has a problem but I am pleased that at least now there may be an explanation for some of her behavioural issues.