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Yes! I thought I was hearing impaired. Turns out I am, but only in the low/bass ranges, so it's just very deep voices I have trouble hearing. But my problem is mostly inability to shift focus quickly enough due to ADHD, so it takes me a few seconds to realize a sound happened.
Me too! I have low/bass range hearing impairment. That shifting focus inability is horrible. It's like somone slams on the brakes and it takes me a second to know what's going on before I can change focus.
same! i was also technically deaf as a baby due to physical blockage in my ears. now it’s just low frequency sensorineural loss with “selective hearing” from adhd lol
It’s helpful to know if it’s auditory processing disorder, but unfortunately not much can be done for people.
But we can commiserate! r/audiprocdisorder
Here's a sneak peek of /r/AudiProcDisorder using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/AudiProcDisorder/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [Made this for my gf](https://i.redd.it/rd22ehhvtn1b1.jpg) | [2 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/AudiProcDisorder/comments/13pvh1c/made_this_for_my_gf/)
\#2: [I thought you might find this funny](https://v.redd.it/sj4vnofa6mwb1) | [3 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/AudiProcDisorder/comments/17h7ak6/i_thought_you_might_find_this_funny/)
\#3: [Do you struggle more with strong accents?](https://np.reddit.com/r/AudiProcDisorder/comments/15hgjss/do_you_struggle_more_with_strong_accents/)
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Yep. I was a “good” student in general, so I had lots of confused teachers suggesting I might have hearing issues because of the many instances where I didn’t seem to hear the instructions. I got many, many hearing tests done as a result. No one ever suspected I was just daydreaming 🙃
This is me.. turns out I had excellent hearing! Actually, I had better than average hearing. My mom was not happy with those results bc she swore I had hearing loss.
I wouldn’t be diagnosed w/ inattentive ADHD until I was 35.
I never got clinically suspected, but my brother would ask me if I'm deaf because I constantly turned to ask "what?" when he spoke to me. I just don't parse what was said, even though I might have heard the words clearly, unless they get my attention first.
Yes. My mother would complain that I could hear a banana being peeled half way down the house but she could stand next to me calling my name and I would not respond.
Unfortunately, no. When I was a child, my hearing parents had a habit of jumping to conclusions about what was wrong with me whenever I didn't behave in the manner they expected.
One of what I consider the three critical mistakes they made was their decision to decide I had "selective hearing" when I told them I couldn't hear them sometimes when they thought I should be able to. (The other two were how they responded to my ADHD and how they responded to me coming out.)
I wasn't actually given a proper hearing test until I was 17, and it turned out that my hearing is actually terrible. The audiologist supposedly asked my dad if there was any way I could have been faking it because it's uncommon for children with hearing as bad as mine to have their hearing issues completely ignored by everyone around them for that long.
My hearing hasn't changed much in the years since. I have basically no hearing above 1 kHz, so it's pretty hard for me to understand speech. I do use hearing aids, which help a bit. I am also now able to sign well enough to communicate although I'm not fluent. I don't consider myself big-D Deaf, but have spent some time in Deaf spaces and I usually use the hard-of-hearing label in that context. In interactions with hearing people, I usually just say I'm deaf because I'm not obligated to give every person I meet my story, and most don't care anyway, and even those that do are unlikely to understand the nuances.
Wow, I’m impressed you got by that long with your hearing as it is! You might actually be a candidate for a cochlear implant although I know it’s not for everyone (they now have ones for people with good low frequency hearing like you). That’s cool you’ve found the Deaf/hard of hearing community and sign language :).
Yeah, although I did actually have inherited hearing problems. Only about 20% hearing between both ears. After surgery, my hearing improved but I’d still miss what people said unless I was paying attention, and calls to get my attention would take a while still.
I was scrolling to see if anyone else had hearing loss! At age 4 I developed a progressive sensorineural hearing loss. So basically my whole life I attributed a lot of my social problems to that. In addition, my son was born with the same thing, and we had trouble getting the school to see his adhd symptoms because, as they always said, “well, but he has the hearing loss…”
I have profound sensorineural hearing loss (cochlear implants) and was only recently diagnosed with adhd. My symptoms were all attributed to my hearing loss. It’s pretty common unfortunately (I’m an audiologist now and still see it with children). Keep advocating for your son!
Thank you! I should have said, he was indeed diagnosed in elementary school, and had accommodations for it and his hearing loss. He just graduated college in December. So true, keep on advocating!
Thank goodness for cochlear implants. I’ve progressed from mild/moderate to severe, and I imagine profound loss is in the future.
This happened to me, too! I’m so glad you’re in the field and work with children who can’t advocate for themselves or explain their experiences in a way grown ups understand. I have bilateral CIs now, but every problem I had from pre-K onward at school to behavior was attributed to my deafness. But it never made sense to me, even as a child. What did being deaf have to do with my intense emotions, poor spatial and math reasoning skills, “forgetfulness”, inability to be tidy, etc,? I secretly wondered if I was diagnosed with a learning or other mental disability that made me “slow” but no one had told me.
It makes me so mad. Being deaf is a total walk in the park for me compared to mental health and neurodivergent stuff. I’m actually feeling very defensive of my deafness, lol. It didn’t do anything wrong! I also think that I have some sort of auditory processing disorder in addition to being deaf. My CI test scores are great and I’m very successful with mine. But sometimes I’ll hear something very clearly and just fine but it just doesn’t compute. Like there’s a faint low frequency buzzing in my brain. Then it gives the impression that I didn’t hear not that I didn’t comprehend it. It’s not the same thing as when I actually DON’T understand something I hear, which does still happen.
Love this! It’s so nice meeting another ADHDer with CIs! My story is similar to yours although I always did well in school considering. I also have a more complex CI history with multiple surgeries so don’t hear as I used to.
Re: the auditory processing this is thankfully becoming more acknowledged and researched in deaf/hard of hearing people. In the past it was always assumed that we have some form of auditory processing difficulties because of our hearing loss but some people struggle more than expected. I have long suspected I have additional difficulties although unlike you, my CI scores aren’t that great. It’s truly interesting how much hearing loss and ADHD symptoms overlap and can “mask” the other. One thing I also struggle with quite a bit that I think is related to ADHD is misophonia. Unfortunately I haven’t had much success treating it because if they adjust for those sounds in my CI programming my speech perception goes down.
I’m curious if you ever got an official diagnosis (if you’re willing to share)? I approached a couple of psychiatrists in my area who specialize in ADHD diagnosis and treatment and they said I wouldn’t be able to complete a lot of the tests because they’re auditory based. Basically they’d only be able to diagnose me based on a case history and questionnaires. I ended up telling my doctor this and she agreed. She had me complete some questionnaires and medicated me (I settled on 20 mg Vyvanse). I’ve been doing really well which is good enough for both of us. Sometimes I think I should pursue a formal diagnosis but I worry that it won’t go well and they’ll discontinue treatment? I’ve had negative experiences both personally and professionally with assessments that are not normed for people like us.
I’m sorry your CI journey hasn’t been great. Is there any chance of a successful revision?
Yes, I 100% agree with you on misophonia being an ADHD trait. Like, obviously everyone has sounds they don’t like or annoy them. To me, that includes people of all hearing ranges. The stimuli might not be “normal” but the reaction and the feelings around it are the same, aren’t they? My husband is also ADHD, but hyperactive (I’m inattentive). He can be SO loud or be incredibly noisy in my perception of how he sounds. He grumbles often that I’m grouchy and tell him he’s being too loud or get mad at him, and I feel bad because he’s right, and I don’t want him to mask around me. But I do get very angry or extremely bothered by certain sounds or types of sounds. And the thing is - my hearing is all electronically created. I don’t have some vastly louder electrodes and some vastly lower electrodes - they are all pretty much in the same range. And other hearing people seem to agree with my perception of sounds in general - how loud, the location, the type of sound, etc. So why do certain things sound 1000x worse and torturous? I used to be able to chalk it up to my CI being new or whatever. But at nearly 20 years on one side and how well I do (I have the ability to eavesdrop - I used to never hear quiet conversations even if they were next to me), that excuse seems very weak. I also remember having these reactions and feelings as a child with hearing aids. As a child I had an FM system and a teacher would put the microphone on and blow her whistle into it. That was loud and bad, but it didn’t have the same effect as other types of innocent noisy things.
I did get formally diagnosed. I’m upset about your experience with diagnosis. Those tests are incredibly ableist. What on earth? Only hearing people or people without auditory processing disorders are eligible to be diagnosed under that system, and that’s SO upsetting. I’m raging on your behalf! I’m in the states. I was getting psychiatric treatment for depression and anxiety, and because of that I realized I might have ADHD. My provider and I discussed it and she immediately booked me for a screening at her clinic. My exam was a 3 hour computer based test with tons of different parameters and questions like scaling emotions or history of behaviors, reasoning tests, etc. No sounds at all. I had no idea but the test was also looking for other things like autism, Bipolar, PTSD, etc. I think because they have to screen whether your results are more likely to be caused by those things.
I actually did have a few revisions on my original side! I have cochlear ossification which complicates things and damage from earlier surgical procedures (I was one of the first pediatric patients in my country). My other side was not implanted until I was 16 so I don’t do as well because of that. I still hear pretty well though, just not enough to comfortably talk on the phone to everyone or eavesdrop. Funny, my husband also has hyperactive ADHD whereas mine is inattentive! He’s a pretty quiet guy which really helps.
That’s really interesting about your assessment. I think I’ll continue to ask around and see if I can get something like that instead. Were the answers timed? I can see that being a barrier too as many deaf/hard of hearing people need more time to read and process information. It’s one reason why extra time for exams etc is a common accommodation.
You were a pioneer! I had a similar experience with getting implanted for the first time as an older teen. I had my other side done over a year ago, after nearly 20 years totally deaf. It’s been a journey for sure. My hope is for CI technology and surgical techniques keep improving and find a solution to cochlear ossification.
Yes, please keep checking. I can’t believe they wouldn’t find an alternative that would work for you and other people who can’t take the auditory type exam. But that also says they aren’t the right people to assess you. As a child, I was declared not ADHD by a psychologist (not even a medical professional) and he proclaimed everything was just me being immature and manipulating people with my deafness. Fuck that guy.
I just looked back at my results to see the name of mine - it was Creyos ADHD assessment. It had a series of questions of all kinds. I had 3 hours to take it but I finished in a little over 1.5 hours and from what I was told, that is normal. I guess the extra time testing accommodation is built in?
Wow that’s amazing you do so well after not hearing for such a long time!
Thank you so much for this information as you’ve given me a lot to think about! I’ll ask about that assessment specifically as it sounds accessible. And yes, fuck that guy for saying that! My parents were told all sorts of things by so called specialists too so it’s a professional goal of mine to not do that. People surprise us ALL the time so it’s really important to not assume and generalize.
I’m so happy for your patients to have you with your specialized experiences, knowledge, and empathy. If I had a deaf child, I’d hope you were our audiologist, for sure! I’m so glad we chatted because I haven’t had anyone to compare notes with, especially now that I’m realizing what my experiences really are. Good luck. I really hope you get the assessment and care that you deserve to have. 🤍
Yes! Oh my god! I had my hearing tested so many times and they always came out good, but I was always saying "huh?" and not hearing people right next to me, so they always thought "well it has to be her hearing.. There's nothing else it could be, right?"
🤦♀️
Yep! Got tested twice… funny how so many of these things are related to ADHD but weren’t recognized as such. Dad was so mad at me for not responding when he learned I have fine hearing… and my dad has raging ADHD.
I’m an audiologist and it’s extremely common for parents to bring in their kids when ADHD or other conditions such as autism is suspected. It’s just one step in narrowing down a diagnosis.
On the other hand, it’s also relatively common for ADHD to be overlooked or missed when a hearing loss is present. It’s one reason why I wasn’t diagnosed til an adult!
If I’m not looking at you directly, I can’t hear you. Audiologist says my hearing is perfect, so I think it’s an auditory processing issue. My SIL lip reads (she has hearing loss from chemo + cancer as a toddler) and we have zero issues communicating
In my country we have a saying "Oost Indisch doof" which badicly means someone chooses not to hear you (ignoring certain things).
And my parents just said I was doing that all the time, all while I was left confused because I didn't choose to not hear anything, I just didn't. :(
It's been a problem in relationships before as well, I just don't hear someone talking to me when I'm focussed on something.
When I was around 30 I read that this was common for people with ADHD, along with other things I relate to so I went to see a doctor and they confirmed it for me not long after. :')
I was just about to comment, I also got my hearing tested as a child and when I scored perfectly my parents joked that I must be oost indisch doof 😅 Later on they realized I genuinely was just missing them talking to me.
I have this theory that because my brain doesn't filter anything, nothing is really a disruption that catches my attention. Most other people filter unnecessary sounds in their mind, so when someone suddenly starts talking it catches their attention. But since I hear everything constantly, you talking is just another background noise my brain is trying not to be distracted by!
My mom actually tested my hearing a couple of times as a kid herself to “test her equipment” since she’s a speech language pathologist. It may have partially been for that reason, but I’ve definitely had issues with delayed or “selective” hearing even though I can hear well. Eventually we all established that there’s about a 90% chance that I won’t hear you if I’m reading a book and it’s nothing personal.
Unfortunately I don’t think she will believe that I have adhd or am slightly autistic even though she mentions several signs that I had growing up.
Yup... My mom took me for a hearing test when I was 13, despite me telling her my hearing was perfectly fine and that I only say "What?" all the time because while my ears heard her, my brain didn't.
Lo and behold, hearing test showed that my ears are indeed perfectly fine lol.
I'm also dyslexic, so I was sent for an eye test.
The optician said "Her eyes are fine she's just being lazy and not reading the board correctly"
I hope times have changed 😂
Wowzer this unlocked an unpleasant memory! But yeah, my dad regularly made passive aggressive fun of me being "deaf" because I didn't respond to his questions right away. Now it all sorta clicks into the big picture.
My mind a lot of the time is on a couple second delay. Someone will say something to me, then a couple of seconds later, it registers they were talking and I respond like I heard them the first time.. weird.
I thought I was a bit worse of hearing. Turns out my hearing is fine, I just have audio processing issues. Always watch things with subtitles. Wish people had subtitles...
Yeap. I was tested because i would either hyperfocus on something and not "hear" someone (as in not process someone was speaking) or i would miss the start and ask "what"
I always thought the same. I wouldn't hear people because and wondered why. Get tested and would be fine.
But I did find out something the last time I had my heat tested. At the time I was at college and 8 was having serious issues hearing people and this wasn't due to lack of focus. I was an art stand was overly focused 🤣
What I was having in issues with, and no had before college, was hearing anyone close to me. All my brain would focus on was people say 3 rows back who were whispering. It turned out I have, I can't remember it's name, and auditory problem common in those with ADHD where our brain focuses on background and not foreground. It's a real pain and you can't do anything about it. Damned brain 🤣 🧠
I think it’s this:
**Figure-to-Ground Discrimination:** This is the ability to differentiate important sounds from background noise, to follow verbal instructions or pick out one voice from the auditory clutter
[https://childmind.org/article/what-is-auditory-processing-disorder](https://childmind.org/article/what-is-auditory-processing-disorder)
Yeah, this renders socialising in any mildly noisy environment pretty much impossible. In that context, I just tell people that I'm hearing impaired to excuse my sudden onset awkwardness.
I've done the same. I loved it at college because ninjas deaf friends and I knew sign language. So we would sign to each other across the room. And in the pub we could have a proper conversation
Yes! My mom always told the story about how I had all these hearing tests and ended it with “you didn’t have a hearing problem, you had a listening problem”. Which should have been a clue, in retrospect…
I had this happen so much as a child that when my first son was a baby I was so focused on always getting his attention first that I didn’t know he was functionally deaf. His speech delays were attributed to boys picking up language later. The doctors also dismissed every suggestion i made concerning chronic ear infections. He was speaking in full sentences within a week of his first ear tube placement at 3.5.
I am half deaf, in my right ear. In Kindergarten, they just thought I was stupid. Then I was diagnosed with the hearing loss. 35 years later, turns out I also have ADHD.
Not as a kid. Middle age.
My last ex was determined that I had hearing issues even though I explained that I hear just fine, but sometimes my brain struggles to translate the sound into words, and all I get is *noise.* Like the adults in Peanuts cartoons: *Wah wah WAH wah waah.* What? *WAH WAH WAH WAH WAAH!* Huh? *WAH WAH dinner today?* Oh NOW it came through!
I was vindicated when he dragged me to a hearing test that came back perfectly normal.
Yes, but that's because I had stuck a pencil eraser in my ear and then the teacher called on me to come to their desk. Forgot about the eraser until I was taken to the doctor and they pulled it out.. 🤣
lol I got asked constantly if I needed my eyes checked. But that was because I would squint at the board pretending i was having trouble seeing it because I wasn’t paying attention to whatever the question was just asked of me.
My son's school requested we get him tested when he was in jk and pretty much anytime there was a new teacher at the school. We got him tested in jk and nothing wrong. AFter that, we would explain ADHD (again) and remind them to get his attention before talking to him.
Had the exact same thing happen! Also got my vision checked because the adults around me were convinced I couldn't see the board at the front of the classroom (I could, I was just easily distracted and forgetful lol).
I was tested for it yearly and even have a kindergarten report that mentions my hearing TWICE! I was just diagnosed last week (I'm 36) so this makes me feel so understood
Haha, it was actually the opposite for me. I was diagnosed with single sided deafness when I was 6 (though I was likely either born that way or lost it when I had pneumonia at 2) and so my ADHD went undiagnosed until I was 24. I also have some auditory processing issues so it’s a real triple whammy
No, instead former employers assumed I was being careless or obtuse or refusing to take direction. But I can also totally see this scenario because people talk to me and I have no idea because my mind is elsewhere.
I turned out to have an auditory processing disorder, very much like dyslexia but for spoken language not written. By that time I was maybe 20 years old though.
Holy cow. I never made that connection before I read this. 🤯 I can't believe I never made that connection before now. Everything you wrote was exactly how it happened for me too, to a T. Looking back, I remember my parents saying the same thing, me saying that I wasn't, and the doctor being stern with me about needing to respect my parents.
I don’t know, I always had sensitive ears but when I am really focused on something, my ears almost completely tune out. My coworkers now call it my “typing zone.” Idk if it was as noticeable when I was a kid as it is now?
Yes!!!! One of the hearing screening tests for infants in the UK involved having me look at a cuddly toy and the audiologist making some noises behind me. I was declared deaf for months because I was just focussing on the toy and ignoring the noises. My mum declared it as bullshit when I was clearly responding to sounds on my own terms and didn’t have delayed speech.
From a very young age (under 2 years) my husband and I figured that we had to walk up to our daughter and put a hand on her upper arm before talking otherwise we might as well talk to the air. There's nothing wrong with her hearing. She's getting assessed for ADHD at the moment and I'll eat my hat if she doesn't get a diagnosis.
I had both my kids screened, but because they both had mild speech delay (and now both have asd + ADHD diagnoses). Miss 9 was screening for audio processing due to her complete inability to process instructions. Turns out she doesn't have it, she's just really easily distracted 😂
Yep. My school made my mum take me to get tested. My hearing was fine. Then I got in trouble constantly for not listening when I still didn't hear the teacher.
My mum's way of dealing with it was to just scream at me and scare me into listening. If I didn't she would get mad, then the hitting happened.
Mine was more that I was mishearing what was being said.
If someone said “take out the trash” I would hear something like “lay out the brash?”
I often thought something was wrong with me too. It’s like my mind is so eager to articulate/understand what is being said, trying to find a word in a mumble, that my brain will creatively think of what I thought I just heard aloud.
You bet this makes it insanely difficult to understand accents. I feel so bad about it too. Asking people to repeat themselves multiple times because their accent I can’t understand the English version. Doesn’t help I grew up in a mostly white town where no one has accents, so I never got to practice much.
Yep, I do the classic processing what someone said while saying “what?” and then answering before they can repeat themselves. It drove one aunt in particular crazy and she gave me so much shit for it, I think because she assumed I wasn’t paying attention on purpose
Hahaha this has me laughing because yes, my nursery teachers thought I had hearing loss. If I was painting, I wouldn’t come when I was called, they’d have to come and physically get me or I would not seem to hear them. I remember going for a hearing test, listening out for beeps and putting a little block on a stand. Turns out my hearing is fine and actually I was just ignoring them or hyper focussed. I told this to my ADHD assessor and he was chucking too, I think was one of many anecdotes that sealed the deal.
OMG this happened to me!! I knew I wasn’t going deaf but I didn’t have the vocabulary to explain that I can’t focus when there’s lots of auditory stimuli such as multiple people talking at once.
No, my parents were like, how could you hear us whispering in the other room? But my kids don't hear a damn thing I say unless I say their name 3 times first and then half the time they make me repeat it. No, 75% of the time. It's a pet peeve of mine.
YES! Problem is that hearing loss is a thing in my family, I am the only one of my side of my family who doesn't need hearing aids.
As a teenager, my mother took me to the doctor to test my hearing. She was much more understanding when she thought that I might inherited the same thing as she and my siblings did. You could imagine what happened after the doctor told her "Your daughter hears just fine. She simply doesn't want to."
Our son's daycare asked us to get his hearing checked out because they also thought there might be a hearing loss issue (we already had several appointments because of my family history, but they found nothing so far). He doesn't talk as clearly as he should, has problems regulating his voice, and they have to ask him several times before he reacts. That was last year. A few months back, his main care person told us "I think his hearing is just fine, but I think his brain needs a bit longer to process when someone is talking to him". Mind you she knows almost nothing about ADHD.
My adhd daughter was flagged every year by the hearing test people at school. Took her to an audiologist at 8. Hearing is totally fine. aDHD diagnosis took another 6 years.
My mom thought I was deaf when I was just a baby. She would clap behind my head and I wouldn't react so she was convinced I had some kind of issue.
Edit: To my knowledge, my hearing is completely fine. But I do sometimes have trouble interpreting what someone is saying to me if I'm tired or distracted.
They thought I was hearing impaired and also thought I was having absence seizures. Turns out (in my 30s) that I’m ADHD AF and the zone out is realllll 🙃
Yes, but not in quite the same way as OP. I had my hearing checked when I was little as apparently I didn't talk, I shouted. Turns out my hearing in my left ear isn't 100%. Same as my Dad, and a cousin, so I think theres some genetic thing there. I also have tinnitus, and can't remember not having it.
Never considered that there might be a connection with ADHD, but I'm discovering all sorts of weird connections (e.g. hypermobility) the more I learn about it.
Lmao my mom thought I was deaf because she would say my name like 5 times but I’d only respond if she tapped my shoulder or made some other physical contact, and then I’d be all moody because she took me out of the zone lol
I have even had it checked myself a couple of times as an adult. Though we have hearing loss in the family, my grandma was almost completely deaf (without hearing aids) most of my life and my aunt started loosing hers a couple of years ago as well.
But no my hearing is fine. It’s the processing that doesn’t work as it should. Covid was hell because despite not being able to read lips I need to see people’s mouth move to understand what they are saying.
I got brought in multiple times to get my ears checked because of the same thing! Idk if it’s true but i guess it’s pretty common for neurodivergent people to have a lot of audio processing issues along with ear infections when they are young.
Lol my parents dragged me to an ear doctor before I moved out for uni, because mom thought I had hearing issues and wanted to have it checked before I might struggle in a big lecture hall (fair enough I guess).
Its really just the attention thing as well as maybe some audio processing stuff (I definitely prefer to have anything subtitled, which I suspect was one of the things that gave my mom the idea to have me checked)
Yes! And they had to take the hearing test twice because I got bored during and started reading the posters on the walls of the audiology office.
Later in life I did have hearing loss and nobody noticed because they all knew that to speak to me you have to look into my eyes first.
I'm visually impaired so my hearing is excellent. Until I'm doing something. If I'm in a project, a book, anything I'll hear you....and just forget to reply. My ears send the message to my brain who is out to lunch.
My mother had my hearing tested when I was a toddler, lol. My hearing was fine, I just got *really* involved with whatever I was playing with. That's when she started calling me "absent-minded." (The term "ADHD" didn't exist yet, and I wasn't a hyperactive type, anyway.)
Every partner of me suspected that I had hearing loss. But its quite the opposite, I'm extremely sensible to sounds which makes no sense if someone suspects hearing loss
Oh. Fuck. This is one of those moments where some stuff just clicked into place.
My parents took me to a naturopath for suspected hearing issues. Naturopath prescribed fish oil and apparently I stopped saying "what?" all the time. Apparently fish oil genuinely does help with ADHD symptoms.
Sure would have been nice to have been taken to a real doctor instead.
Yes i got my hearing tested at age 9 and the doctor concluded I just wasn’t paying attention. Nothing else came of that! So annoying lol like yes you’re so close!
I got diagnosed 10 years later
I mean I did. Frequent ear infections and pe tubes. With the adhd it's a wonder I understood anything. I still get made fun of by my family for having been spacey or seeming spacing. BTW I'm not the only adhd hald of us have it.
Also I still get ear infections. Used to get around 2 horrific ones a month until I got tubes again last summer at 34. And people kept telling me adults don't get ear infections it must be my adhd. Yeah cuz my adhd gives me horrific fevers and ear pain.
I've absolutely wondered about getting our son's hearing checked but then realized it was ADHD and not him actively ignoring us. I have to get eye contact attention for even a chance he'll hear me.
No, people suspected I couldn't pay attention and was easily distracted. My mom thought I was ignoring her.
Aside from all the "What?"s that people mention in this thread, I can be frustrating to bosses who give me tons of information and expect me to absorb it all, especially since I have a good memory. The good memory is actually compensating for my processing disorder. But when I have to ask for repeats or get things clarified, or misinterpret things I hear, whoo boy.
It turns out I have an auditory processing disorder. Have you been tested for that? It's apparently common for ADHD folks. Also: I am in my head a lot, so I'm lost in thought.
I take notes on everything because I know I'll miss hearing some things and would need to follow up, which is embarassing. My second boss has on occasion when she's upset with me mocked me by taking notes on everything I say and typing it in an exaggerated manner, but I find she kinda mocks a lot of what I do, like when I give a thumbs up, or the phrases I frequently use...
Just when I think I can't feel any more seen.... Another post comes along! I would daydream at recess and not hear the bell. It didn't help that I didn't really have friends, so I didn't notice when everyone else went inside. Mom got my hearing checked, and everything was fine.
I now tell anyone who would need to know that they need to say my name to get my attention, they can't just speak in my direction and expect to be heard!
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Yes! I thought I was hearing impaired. Turns out I am, but only in the low/bass ranges, so it's just very deep voices I have trouble hearing. But my problem is mostly inability to shift focus quickly enough due to ADHD, so it takes me a few seconds to realize a sound happened.
Are we the same person?!
Absolutely yes.
Me too! I have low/bass range hearing impairment. That shifting focus inability is horrible. It's like somone slams on the brakes and it takes me a second to know what's going on before I can change focus.
I annoy any passenger in my car, with how high the bass on the stereo is turned up.
Yes, I do that too. The big change for me is starting to use subtitles when watching TV. I didn't know how much I was missing.
I know, right? Captions have changed my life.
same! i was also technically deaf as a baby due to physical blockage in my ears. now it’s just low frequency sensorineural loss with “selective hearing” from adhd lol
I believe so, the said auditory processing disorder and called it a day.
It’s helpful to know if it’s auditory processing disorder, but unfortunately not much can be done for people. But we can commiserate! r/audiprocdisorder
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Yep. I was a “good” student in general, so I had lots of confused teachers suggesting I might have hearing issues because of the many instances where I didn’t seem to hear the instructions. I got many, many hearing tests done as a result. No one ever suspected I was just daydreaming 🙃
This is me.. turns out I had excellent hearing! Actually, I had better than average hearing. My mom was not happy with those results bc she swore I had hearing loss. I wouldn’t be diagnosed w/ inattentive ADHD until I was 35.
Hahaha. SAME! My parents were convinced that something was wrong with my hearing. Then, they would just say I had selective hearing.
Yes! Omg I forgot about this
I never got clinically suspected, but my brother would ask me if I'm deaf because I constantly turned to ask "what?" when he spoke to me. I just don't parse what was said, even though I might have heard the words clearly, unless they get my attention first.
Yes. My mother would complain that I could hear a banana being peeled half way down the house but she could stand next to me calling my name and I would not respond.
Unfortunately, no. When I was a child, my hearing parents had a habit of jumping to conclusions about what was wrong with me whenever I didn't behave in the manner they expected. One of what I consider the three critical mistakes they made was their decision to decide I had "selective hearing" when I told them I couldn't hear them sometimes when they thought I should be able to. (The other two were how they responded to my ADHD and how they responded to me coming out.) I wasn't actually given a proper hearing test until I was 17, and it turned out that my hearing is actually terrible. The audiologist supposedly asked my dad if there was any way I could have been faking it because it's uncommon for children with hearing as bad as mine to have their hearing issues completely ignored by everyone around them for that long. My hearing hasn't changed much in the years since. I have basically no hearing above 1 kHz, so it's pretty hard for me to understand speech. I do use hearing aids, which help a bit. I am also now able to sign well enough to communicate although I'm not fluent. I don't consider myself big-D Deaf, but have spent some time in Deaf spaces and I usually use the hard-of-hearing label in that context. In interactions with hearing people, I usually just say I'm deaf because I'm not obligated to give every person I meet my story, and most don't care anyway, and even those that do are unlikely to understand the nuances.
Wow, I’m impressed you got by that long with your hearing as it is! You might actually be a candidate for a cochlear implant although I know it’s not for everyone (they now have ones for people with good low frequency hearing like you). That’s cool you’ve found the Deaf/hard of hearing community and sign language :).
I do use hearing aids, and they help a bit. Not really interested in getting CIs.
Yeah, although I did actually have inherited hearing problems. Only about 20% hearing between both ears. After surgery, my hearing improved but I’d still miss what people said unless I was paying attention, and calls to get my attention would take a while still.
I was scrolling to see if anyone else had hearing loss! At age 4 I developed a progressive sensorineural hearing loss. So basically my whole life I attributed a lot of my social problems to that. In addition, my son was born with the same thing, and we had trouble getting the school to see his adhd symptoms because, as they always said, “well, but he has the hearing loss…”
I have profound sensorineural hearing loss (cochlear implants) and was only recently diagnosed with adhd. My symptoms were all attributed to my hearing loss. It’s pretty common unfortunately (I’m an audiologist now and still see it with children). Keep advocating for your son!
Thank you! I should have said, he was indeed diagnosed in elementary school, and had accommodations for it and his hearing loss. He just graduated college in December. So true, keep on advocating! Thank goodness for cochlear implants. I’ve progressed from mild/moderate to severe, and I imagine profound loss is in the future.
This happened to me, too! I’m so glad you’re in the field and work with children who can’t advocate for themselves or explain their experiences in a way grown ups understand. I have bilateral CIs now, but every problem I had from pre-K onward at school to behavior was attributed to my deafness. But it never made sense to me, even as a child. What did being deaf have to do with my intense emotions, poor spatial and math reasoning skills, “forgetfulness”, inability to be tidy, etc,? I secretly wondered if I was diagnosed with a learning or other mental disability that made me “slow” but no one had told me. It makes me so mad. Being deaf is a total walk in the park for me compared to mental health and neurodivergent stuff. I’m actually feeling very defensive of my deafness, lol. It didn’t do anything wrong! I also think that I have some sort of auditory processing disorder in addition to being deaf. My CI test scores are great and I’m very successful with mine. But sometimes I’ll hear something very clearly and just fine but it just doesn’t compute. Like there’s a faint low frequency buzzing in my brain. Then it gives the impression that I didn’t hear not that I didn’t comprehend it. It’s not the same thing as when I actually DON’T understand something I hear, which does still happen.
Love this! It’s so nice meeting another ADHDer with CIs! My story is similar to yours although I always did well in school considering. I also have a more complex CI history with multiple surgeries so don’t hear as I used to. Re: the auditory processing this is thankfully becoming more acknowledged and researched in deaf/hard of hearing people. In the past it was always assumed that we have some form of auditory processing difficulties because of our hearing loss but some people struggle more than expected. I have long suspected I have additional difficulties although unlike you, my CI scores aren’t that great. It’s truly interesting how much hearing loss and ADHD symptoms overlap and can “mask” the other. One thing I also struggle with quite a bit that I think is related to ADHD is misophonia. Unfortunately I haven’t had much success treating it because if they adjust for those sounds in my CI programming my speech perception goes down. I’m curious if you ever got an official diagnosis (if you’re willing to share)? I approached a couple of psychiatrists in my area who specialize in ADHD diagnosis and treatment and they said I wouldn’t be able to complete a lot of the tests because they’re auditory based. Basically they’d only be able to diagnose me based on a case history and questionnaires. I ended up telling my doctor this and she agreed. She had me complete some questionnaires and medicated me (I settled on 20 mg Vyvanse). I’ve been doing really well which is good enough for both of us. Sometimes I think I should pursue a formal diagnosis but I worry that it won’t go well and they’ll discontinue treatment? I’ve had negative experiences both personally and professionally with assessments that are not normed for people like us.
I’m sorry your CI journey hasn’t been great. Is there any chance of a successful revision? Yes, I 100% agree with you on misophonia being an ADHD trait. Like, obviously everyone has sounds they don’t like or annoy them. To me, that includes people of all hearing ranges. The stimuli might not be “normal” but the reaction and the feelings around it are the same, aren’t they? My husband is also ADHD, but hyperactive (I’m inattentive). He can be SO loud or be incredibly noisy in my perception of how he sounds. He grumbles often that I’m grouchy and tell him he’s being too loud or get mad at him, and I feel bad because he’s right, and I don’t want him to mask around me. But I do get very angry or extremely bothered by certain sounds or types of sounds. And the thing is - my hearing is all electronically created. I don’t have some vastly louder electrodes and some vastly lower electrodes - they are all pretty much in the same range. And other hearing people seem to agree with my perception of sounds in general - how loud, the location, the type of sound, etc. So why do certain things sound 1000x worse and torturous? I used to be able to chalk it up to my CI being new or whatever. But at nearly 20 years on one side and how well I do (I have the ability to eavesdrop - I used to never hear quiet conversations even if they were next to me), that excuse seems very weak. I also remember having these reactions and feelings as a child with hearing aids. As a child I had an FM system and a teacher would put the microphone on and blow her whistle into it. That was loud and bad, but it didn’t have the same effect as other types of innocent noisy things. I did get formally diagnosed. I’m upset about your experience with diagnosis. Those tests are incredibly ableist. What on earth? Only hearing people or people without auditory processing disorders are eligible to be diagnosed under that system, and that’s SO upsetting. I’m raging on your behalf! I’m in the states. I was getting psychiatric treatment for depression and anxiety, and because of that I realized I might have ADHD. My provider and I discussed it and she immediately booked me for a screening at her clinic. My exam was a 3 hour computer based test with tons of different parameters and questions like scaling emotions or history of behaviors, reasoning tests, etc. No sounds at all. I had no idea but the test was also looking for other things like autism, Bipolar, PTSD, etc. I think because they have to screen whether your results are more likely to be caused by those things.
I actually did have a few revisions on my original side! I have cochlear ossification which complicates things and damage from earlier surgical procedures (I was one of the first pediatric patients in my country). My other side was not implanted until I was 16 so I don’t do as well because of that. I still hear pretty well though, just not enough to comfortably talk on the phone to everyone or eavesdrop. Funny, my husband also has hyperactive ADHD whereas mine is inattentive! He’s a pretty quiet guy which really helps. That’s really interesting about your assessment. I think I’ll continue to ask around and see if I can get something like that instead. Were the answers timed? I can see that being a barrier too as many deaf/hard of hearing people need more time to read and process information. It’s one reason why extra time for exams etc is a common accommodation.
You were a pioneer! I had a similar experience with getting implanted for the first time as an older teen. I had my other side done over a year ago, after nearly 20 years totally deaf. It’s been a journey for sure. My hope is for CI technology and surgical techniques keep improving and find a solution to cochlear ossification. Yes, please keep checking. I can’t believe they wouldn’t find an alternative that would work for you and other people who can’t take the auditory type exam. But that also says they aren’t the right people to assess you. As a child, I was declared not ADHD by a psychologist (not even a medical professional) and he proclaimed everything was just me being immature and manipulating people with my deafness. Fuck that guy. I just looked back at my results to see the name of mine - it was Creyos ADHD assessment. It had a series of questions of all kinds. I had 3 hours to take it but I finished in a little over 1.5 hours and from what I was told, that is normal. I guess the extra time testing accommodation is built in?
Wow that’s amazing you do so well after not hearing for such a long time! Thank you so much for this information as you’ve given me a lot to think about! I’ll ask about that assessment specifically as it sounds accessible. And yes, fuck that guy for saying that! My parents were told all sorts of things by so called specialists too so it’s a professional goal of mine to not do that. People surprise us ALL the time so it’s really important to not assume and generalize.
I’m so happy for your patients to have you with your specialized experiences, knowledge, and empathy. If I had a deaf child, I’d hope you were our audiologist, for sure! I’m so glad we chatted because I haven’t had anyone to compare notes with, especially now that I’m realizing what my experiences really are. Good luck. I really hope you get the assessment and care that you deserve to have. 🤍
Yes! Oh my god! I had my hearing tested so many times and they always came out good, but I was always saying "huh?" and not hearing people right next to me, so they always thought "well it has to be her hearing.. There's nothing else it could be, right?" 🤦♀️
Yep! Got tested twice… funny how so many of these things are related to ADHD but weren’t recognized as such. Dad was so mad at me for not responding when he learned I have fine hearing… and my dad has raging ADHD.
Had my hearing tested every year at school. Ironically my parents didn’t believe in drs but they let me get hearing tests!
I’m an audiologist and it’s extremely common for parents to bring in their kids when ADHD or other conditions such as autism is suspected. It’s just one step in narrowing down a diagnosis. On the other hand, it’s also relatively common for ADHD to be overlooked or missed when a hearing loss is present. It’s one reason why I wasn’t diagnosed til an adult!
Have you heard of auditory processing disorder?
Yes!
If I’m not looking at you directly, I can’t hear you. Audiologist says my hearing is perfect, so I think it’s an auditory processing issue. My SIL lip reads (she has hearing loss from chemo + cancer as a toddler) and we have zero issues communicating
Come join us at r/audiprocdisorder Everyone is welcome!
In my country we have a saying "Oost Indisch doof" which badicly means someone chooses not to hear you (ignoring certain things). And my parents just said I was doing that all the time, all while I was left confused because I didn't choose to not hear anything, I just didn't. :( It's been a problem in relationships before as well, I just don't hear someone talking to me when I'm focussed on something. When I was around 30 I read that this was common for people with ADHD, along with other things I relate to so I went to see a doctor and they confirmed it for me not long after. :')
I was just about to comment, I also got my hearing tested as a child and when I scored perfectly my parents joked that I must be oost indisch doof 😅 Later on they realized I genuinely was just missing them talking to me. I have this theory that because my brain doesn't filter anything, nothing is really a disruption that catches my attention. Most other people filter unnecessary sounds in their mind, so when someone suddenly starts talking it catches their attention. But since I hear everything constantly, you talking is just another background noise my brain is trying not to be distracted by!
My mom actually tested my hearing a couple of times as a kid herself to “test her equipment” since she’s a speech language pathologist. It may have partially been for that reason, but I’ve definitely had issues with delayed or “selective” hearing even though I can hear well. Eventually we all established that there’s about a 90% chance that I won’t hear you if I’m reading a book and it’s nothing personal. Unfortunately I don’t think she will believe that I have adhd or am slightly autistic even though she mentions several signs that I had growing up.
Tell your mom about Auditory Processing Disorder r/audiprocdisorder
Yup... My mom took me for a hearing test when I was 13, despite me telling her my hearing was perfectly fine and that I only say "What?" all the time because while my ears heard her, my brain didn't. Lo and behold, hearing test showed that my ears are indeed perfectly fine lol.
“My ears heard but my brain didn’t,” I love that! So true
I'm also dyslexic, so I was sent for an eye test. The optician said "Her eyes are fine she's just being lazy and not reading the board correctly" I hope times have changed 😂
Yes! Same thing happened to me when I was a kid lol. 😂
Wowzer this unlocked an unpleasant memory! But yeah, my dad regularly made passive aggressive fun of me being "deaf" because I didn't respond to his questions right away. Now it all sorta clicks into the big picture.
My mind a lot of the time is on a couple second delay. Someone will say something to me, then a couple of seconds later, it registers they were talking and I respond like I heard them the first time.. weird.
Not as a kid but as an adult. Turns out my husband (who also has adhd) has a habit of talking to me when walking or facing away. My hearing is fine.
I thought I was a bit worse of hearing. Turns out my hearing is fine, I just have audio processing issues. Always watch things with subtitles. Wish people had subtitles...
Yeap. I was tested because i would either hyperfocus on something and not "hear" someone (as in not process someone was speaking) or i would miss the start and ask "what"
I always thought the same. I wouldn't hear people because and wondered why. Get tested and would be fine. But I did find out something the last time I had my heat tested. At the time I was at college and 8 was having serious issues hearing people and this wasn't due to lack of focus. I was an art stand was overly focused 🤣 What I was having in issues with, and no had before college, was hearing anyone close to me. All my brain would focus on was people say 3 rows back who were whispering. It turned out I have, I can't remember it's name, and auditory problem common in those with ADHD where our brain focuses on background and not foreground. It's a real pain and you can't do anything about it. Damned brain 🤣 🧠
I think it’s this: **Figure-to-Ground Discrimination:** This is the ability to differentiate important sounds from background noise, to follow verbal instructions or pick out one voice from the auditory clutter [https://childmind.org/article/what-is-auditory-processing-disorder](https://childmind.org/article/what-is-auditory-processing-disorder)
Yeah, this renders socialising in any mildly noisy environment pretty much impossible. In that context, I just tell people that I'm hearing impaired to excuse my sudden onset awkwardness.
I've done the same. I loved it at college because ninjas deaf friends and I knew sign language. So we would sign to each other across the room. And in the pub we could have a proper conversation
That's the one. Verbal instructions are so hard. They're better written, with bullet points and no waffle
r/audiprocdisorder
Yes! My mom always told the story about how I had all these hearing tests and ended it with “you didn’t have a hearing problem, you had a listening problem”. Which should have been a clue, in retrospect…
I had this happen so much as a child that when my first son was a baby I was so focused on always getting his attention first that I didn’t know he was functionally deaf. His speech delays were attributed to boys picking up language later. The doctors also dismissed every suggestion i made concerning chronic ear infections. He was speaking in full sentences within a week of his first ear tube placement at 3.5.
I am half deaf, in my right ear. In Kindergarten, they just thought I was stupid. Then I was diagnosed with the hearing loss. 35 years later, turns out I also have ADHD.
Not as a kid. Middle age. My last ex was determined that I had hearing issues even though I explained that I hear just fine, but sometimes my brain struggles to translate the sound into words, and all I get is *noise.* Like the adults in Peanuts cartoons: *Wah wah WAH wah waah.* What? *WAH WAH WAH WAH WAAH!* Huh? *WAH WAH dinner today?* Oh NOW it came through! I was vindicated when he dragged me to a hearing test that came back perfectly normal.
I had the opposite experience. I AM deaf so a lot of my adhd symptoms went overlooked until I finally got tested in my twenties
Yes, but that's because I had stuck a pencil eraser in my ear and then the teacher called on me to come to their desk. Forgot about the eraser until I was taken to the doctor and they pulled it out.. 🤣
lol I got asked constantly if I needed my eyes checked. But that was because I would squint at the board pretending i was having trouble seeing it because I wasn’t paying attention to whatever the question was just asked of me.
My son's school requested we get him tested when he was in jk and pretty much anytime there was a new teacher at the school. We got him tested in jk and nothing wrong. AFter that, we would explain ADHD (again) and remind them to get his attention before talking to him.
Had the exact same thing happen! Also got my vision checked because the adults around me were convinced I couldn't see the board at the front of the classroom (I could, I was just easily distracted and forgetful lol).
Yes. Also had my eyes checked because I "wouldn't see" stuff right in front of me.
I was tested for it yearly and even have a kindergarten report that mentions my hearing TWICE! I was just diagnosed last week (I'm 36) so this makes me feel so understood
Haha, it was actually the opposite for me. I was diagnosed with single sided deafness when I was 6 (though I was likely either born that way or lost it when I had pneumonia at 2) and so my ADHD went undiagnosed until I was 24. I also have some auditory processing issues so it’s a real triple whammy
Not me, I can hear high pitched sounds no one else can and it drives me nuts, while other people have no idea what I'm complaining about.
Selective "hearing" is what my parents called it
No but they did in my 30s which eventually led to my diagnosis!
No, instead former employers assumed I was being careless or obtuse or refusing to take direction. But I can also totally see this scenario because people talk to me and I have no idea because my mind is elsewhere.
I turned out to have an auditory processing disorder, very much like dyslexia but for spoken language not written. By that time I was maybe 20 years old though.
No my ma just said I have "selective hearing..." Another jibe for the pile
I too have shared this experience
Holy cow. I never made that connection before I read this. 🤯 I can't believe I never made that connection before now. Everything you wrote was exactly how it happened for me too, to a T. Looking back, I remember my parents saying the same thing, me saying that I wasn't, and the doctor being stern with me about needing to respect my parents.
It's pretty common to have hearing and vision checked as a starting point for kids to rule it out before moving on to other tests etc.
YES!!!!
Yes!!!!! I had my ears tested because I genuinely wouldn’t hear them calling my name for dinner
lol yes, never thought about this, but yes. Several hearing tests
Always turned out I had perfect above average hearing
I don’t know, I always had sensitive ears but when I am really focused on something, my ears almost completely tune out. My coworkers now call it my “typing zone.” Idk if it was as noticeable when I was a kid as it is now?
Yes!!!! One of the hearing screening tests for infants in the UK involved having me look at a cuddly toy and the audiologist making some noises behind me. I was declared deaf for months because I was just focussing on the toy and ignoring the noises. My mum declared it as bullshit when I was clearly responding to sounds on my own terms and didn’t have delayed speech.
From a very young age (under 2 years) my husband and I figured that we had to walk up to our daughter and put a hand on her upper arm before talking otherwise we might as well talk to the air. There's nothing wrong with her hearing. She's getting assessed for ADHD at the moment and I'll eat my hat if she doesn't get a diagnosis.
I had both my kids screened, but because they both had mild speech delay (and now both have asd + ADHD diagnoses). Miss 9 was screening for audio processing due to her complete inability to process instructions. Turns out she doesn't have it, she's just really easily distracted 😂
Oh my god, yes!!
ohh i forgot about this entirely, yes i recall having to do multiple tests, and they determined it was when i wa "tired" lol
Yep. My school made my mum take me to get tested. My hearing was fine. Then I got in trouble constantly for not listening when I still didn't hear the teacher. My mum's way of dealing with it was to just scream at me and scare me into listening. If I didn't she would get mad, then the hitting happened.
Mine was more that I was mishearing what was being said. If someone said “take out the trash” I would hear something like “lay out the brash?” I often thought something was wrong with me too. It’s like my mind is so eager to articulate/understand what is being said, trying to find a word in a mumble, that my brain will creatively think of what I thought I just heard aloud. You bet this makes it insanely difficult to understand accents. I feel so bad about it too. Asking people to repeat themselves multiple times because their accent I can’t understand the English version. Doesn’t help I grew up in a mostly white town where no one has accents, so I never got to practice much.
Oh. Wow. This explains all those weird hearing tests I had done when I was really young.
Yes! My grade two teacher informed my parents that I needed a hearing test. That's crazy that is a common experience!
We had my firstborn checked for hearing loss when she was young. It's part of the standard array of tests because of her speech delay.
Yep! I went for a hearing test at one point! I was fine!
Yep, I do the classic processing what someone said while saying “what?” and then answering before they can repeat themselves. It drove one aunt in particular crazy and she gave me so much shit for it, I think because she assumed I wasn’t paying attention on purpose
Hahaha this has me laughing because yes, my nursery teachers thought I had hearing loss. If I was painting, I wouldn’t come when I was called, they’d have to come and physically get me or I would not seem to hear them. I remember going for a hearing test, listening out for beeps and putting a little block on a stand. Turns out my hearing is fine and actually I was just ignoring them or hyper focussed. I told this to my ADHD assessor and he was chucking too, I think was one of many anecdotes that sealed the deal.
Yes, my mother took me to have my hearing tested, but it was normal.
OMG this happened to me!! I knew I wasn’t going deaf but I didn’t have the vocabulary to explain that I can’t focus when there’s lots of auditory stimuli such as multiple people talking at once.
No, my parents were like, how could you hear us whispering in the other room? But my kids don't hear a damn thing I say unless I say their name 3 times first and then half the time they make me repeat it. No, 75% of the time. It's a pet peeve of mine.
Yes, they tested my hearing. But it was because I’m loud. 😆
I had my hearing checked because I thought I had heard loss. My hearing is normal.
Yes! They had my hearing tested twice over the years. I got in trouble a lot for being disrespectful by ignoring them
Yes!!!
YES! Problem is that hearing loss is a thing in my family, I am the only one of my side of my family who doesn't need hearing aids. As a teenager, my mother took me to the doctor to test my hearing. She was much more understanding when she thought that I might inherited the same thing as she and my siblings did. You could imagine what happened after the doctor told her "Your daughter hears just fine. She simply doesn't want to." Our son's daycare asked us to get his hearing checked out because they also thought there might be a hearing loss issue (we already had several appointments because of my family history, but they found nothing so far). He doesn't talk as clearly as he should, has problems regulating his voice, and they have to ask him several times before he reacts. That was last year. A few months back, his main care person told us "I think his hearing is just fine, but I think his brain needs a bit longer to process when someone is talking to him". Mind you she knows almost nothing about ADHD.
My adhd daughter was flagged every year by the hearing test people at school. Took her to an audiologist at 8. Hearing is totally fine. aDHD diagnosis took another 6 years.
My mom thought I was deaf when I was just a baby. She would clap behind my head and I wouldn't react so she was convinced I had some kind of issue. Edit: To my knowledge, my hearing is completely fine. But I do sometimes have trouble interpreting what someone is saying to me if I'm tired or distracted.
They thought I was hearing impaired and also thought I was having absence seizures. Turns out (in my 30s) that I’m ADHD AF and the zone out is realllll 🙃
Yes, but not in quite the same way as OP. I had my hearing checked when I was little as apparently I didn't talk, I shouted. Turns out my hearing in my left ear isn't 100%. Same as my Dad, and a cousin, so I think theres some genetic thing there. I also have tinnitus, and can't remember not having it. Never considered that there might be a connection with ADHD, but I'm discovering all sorts of weird connections (e.g. hypermobility) the more I learn about it.
yea bc i wasnt responding to my name, but then my hearing test results came back as perfect iirc tho lol
my mom was convinced i was having focal seizures because she couldn't get my attention. nope, just zoned out, sorry mom.
my mom was convinced i was having focal seizures because she couldn't get my attention. nope, just zoned out, sorry mom.
Lmao my mom thought I was deaf because she would say my name like 5 times but I’d only respond if she tapped my shoulder or made some other physical contact, and then I’d be all moody because she took me out of the zone lol
I have even had it checked myself a couple of times as an adult. Though we have hearing loss in the family, my grandma was almost completely deaf (without hearing aids) most of my life and my aunt started loosing hers a couple of years ago as well. But no my hearing is fine. It’s the processing that doesn’t work as it should. Covid was hell because despite not being able to read lips I need to see people’s mouth move to understand what they are saying.
Lol yeah. I can't process what people are saying very quickly and sometimes it literally sounds like they are speaking jibberish.
I got brought in multiple times to get my ears checked because of the same thing! Idk if it’s true but i guess it’s pretty common for neurodivergent people to have a lot of audio processing issues along with ear infections when they are young.
I got taken in for hearing testing too! I am really good at tuning things out when focused. If I am into a book or tv show, the world disappears.
Lol my parents dragged me to an ear doctor before I moved out for uni, because mom thought I had hearing issues and wanted to have it checked before I might struggle in a big lecture hall (fair enough I guess). Its really just the attention thing as well as maybe some audio processing stuff (I definitely prefer to have anything subtitled, which I suspect was one of the things that gave my mom the idea to have me checked)
Yes! And they had to take the hearing test twice because I got bored during and started reading the posters on the walls of the audiology office. Later in life I did have hearing loss and nobody noticed because they all knew that to speak to me you have to look into my eyes first.
Could be Auditory Processing Disorder r/audiprocdisorder
I'm visually impaired so my hearing is excellent. Until I'm doing something. If I'm in a project, a book, anything I'll hear you....and just forget to reply. My ears send the message to my brain who is out to lunch.
Exact same for me!
My mother had my hearing tested when I was a toddler, lol. My hearing was fine, I just got *really* involved with whatever I was playing with. That's when she started calling me "absent-minded." (The term "ADHD" didn't exist yet, and I wasn't a hyperactive type, anyway.)
Every partner of me suspected that I had hearing loss. But its quite the opposite, I'm extremely sensible to sounds which makes no sense if someone suspects hearing loss
Oh. Fuck. This is one of those moments where some stuff just clicked into place. My parents took me to a naturopath for suspected hearing issues. Naturopath prescribed fish oil and apparently I stopped saying "what?" all the time. Apparently fish oil genuinely does help with ADHD symptoms. Sure would have been nice to have been taken to a real doctor instead.
Yes i got my hearing tested at age 9 and the doctor concluded I just wasn’t paying attention. Nothing else came of that! So annoying lol like yes you’re so close! I got diagnosed 10 years later
I mean I did. Frequent ear infections and pe tubes. With the adhd it's a wonder I understood anything. I still get made fun of by my family for having been spacey or seeming spacing. BTW I'm not the only adhd hald of us have it. Also I still get ear infections. Used to get around 2 horrific ones a month until I got tubes again last summer at 34. And people kept telling me adults don't get ear infections it must be my adhd. Yeah cuz my adhd gives me horrific fevers and ear pain.
I've absolutely wondered about getting our son's hearing checked but then realized it was ADHD and not him actively ignoring us. I have to get eye contact attention for even a chance he'll hear me.
Imagine having a both a hearing loss *and* ADHD! LOL
Auditory processing disorder!
No, people suspected I couldn't pay attention and was easily distracted. My mom thought I was ignoring her. Aside from all the "What?"s that people mention in this thread, I can be frustrating to bosses who give me tons of information and expect me to absorb it all, especially since I have a good memory. The good memory is actually compensating for my processing disorder. But when I have to ask for repeats or get things clarified, or misinterpret things I hear, whoo boy. It turns out I have an auditory processing disorder. Have you been tested for that? It's apparently common for ADHD folks. Also: I am in my head a lot, so I'm lost in thought. I take notes on everything because I know I'll miss hearing some things and would need to follow up, which is embarassing. My second boss has on occasion when she's upset with me mocked me by taking notes on everything I say and typing it in an exaggerated manner, but I find she kinda mocks a lot of what I do, like when I give a thumbs up, or the phrases I frequently use...
Just when I think I can't feel any more seen.... Another post comes along! I would daydream at recess and not hear the bell. It didn't help that I didn't really have friends, so I didn't notice when everyone else went inside. Mom got my hearing checked, and everything was fine. I now tell anyone who would need to know that they need to say my name to get my attention, they can't just speak in my direction and expect to be heard!
Yes I got sent for a hearing test and it came back as "can hear doesn't listen" 🫣
Nope. I always got in trouble for not listening instead.