Do enlarged adenoids affect the hearing of a child?

Q: My son is going to be 2 years old soon. He has profound hearing loss, which was detected by doctors when he was 3 months old. Since then he has been fitted with hearing aids. With the help of hearing aids his hearing has improved and has started saying some words. I have already started his speech and language therapy and he is doing well. One week back I got his nasopharnyx x-ray done. The report says that there is enlargement of adenoids obstructing the airway. Do enlarged adenoids affect the hearing of a child? If I get the adenoids treated, will his hearing improve too?

A:The adenoids per se have no relation with hearing loss, unless they are causing fluid behind the eardrum. Which would be confirmed by a tympanogram. Adenoids are normal in kids, and tend to regress by the age of 9-12. If your son is responding well with a hearing aid, & speech therapy, assuming there is no fluid, I don't think there is anything further to be done. In case the response after 6-12 months is unsatisfactory, then you need to consider cochlear implantation.