I has prepared a new research about ds and hearing condition . more than 50% of the studied ds children were suffering from hearing loss ( conductive &/or sensorineural ) . hearing defect interfers with the rehabilitation programs and even corelated with lower intellectual abilities as compared to noemal hearing ds.Hence we recommend hearing screening - including central hearing assessment - during the first year of life then yearly as a regular screen.

Our lil girl went thru a full hearing test at about 6 mo. of age,we could notice that she seemed to acknowledge sounds from the right side better than the left ,her right ear was within normal parameters,the left had a very slight loss,which they attributed to the cold that she had at the time could have been affecting the inner ear she is scheduled for another test in a month at her 12 mo. of age,hopefully we'll have this respitory problem behind us so we get a good indication as to how her hearing is.

The Down Syndrome healthcare guidelines for newborns through adulthood, at the Down Syndrome Quarterly WWW site, mentions screening for hearing loss regularly. My son is 17 and is a Junior in our local high school; he has some hearing loss in one ear because fluid is present (not an infection) so he sits one one side of his classrooms where it is more likely he will hear with his 'good' ear. He is taking a Sign Language class this year and is having a great time showing us signs that we used to use at home when he was a toddler and preschooler. He stopped using sign when he learned to read; he started spelling out what we could not understand and that worked out very well for him. He was in first grade when he told me he needed an 'u-m-b-r-e-l-a' and a few weeks later told his dad he wanted to 'e-a-t.' I figured leaving out an L was pretty good; his dad took him out for his favorite meal to encourage him to keep on spelling.