Hearing loss after meningitis - ANSD? - Meningitis Now

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Hearing loss after meningitis - ANSD?

Wiccawren profile image
3 Replies

With hearing loss being a common after effect of meningitis, I'm wondering if anyone has heard of this before, as our doctors are scratching their heads.

My son, who is now four, had Pneumococcal Meningitis at 14months, and thankfully has come out with just some minor emotional/behavioural issues and single sided deafness. However, it has since been discovered that the cochlea in the affetcted ear is actually working fine, and that the nerve sending the signals from the cochlea to the brain doesn't appear to be working. This has surprised the audiologists, who have advised that it is usually the cochlea that is affected, and are now suggesting he may have Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder (ANSD), which is usually found during the newborn hearing test. (My sons hearing test was fine at birth) So there will be more tests done.

My question is, has anyone else heard of this being a thing from meningitis, or that it may actually be something missed at birth?

TIA. xxx

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Wiccawren profile image
Wiccawren
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3 Replies
Earthfox20 profile image
Earthfox20

I am considerably older but was left completely deaf after an attack of Bacterial Meningitis. I had a cochlear implant and there were initially high hopes for this. I can now hear sound but cannot decipher the words being spoken. The first time it was switched on I actually had a short conversation with my wife but was never able to repeat that. It has all been quite frustrating. Not sure that this helps you. It’s 16 months since my attack and for 12 of those I have had the implant and have been visiting the specialists and having adjustments made. Expectations are now lower all around.

hawkeye777 profile image
hawkeye777

From what I gather, deafness is not an uncommon consequence of meningitis. BM resulted in a 75% loss in my hearing and balance having had the pneumococcal strain also.

Julia1jasper profile image
Julia1jasper

Hi there. In my teens I had really bad glandular fever 2 years apart both lasting maybe for 3 months. The second year I had it I totally lost my voice and went completely deaf and it was some time when I could hear things again. I put up with this and managed go thro school but my boyfriend suggested I have hearing test. It lasted an hour and I have hearing damage but also I was told that my brain wasn’t converting the messages correctly. So yes I can hear some sounds but it sounds most of the time like Donald Duck it was explained that tho some of hearing was going to brain that it’s not translated like normal. I don’t know if this helps but now I have a way of knowing sometimes what people say so like a new language. Thanks

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