3 year old says 'huh?' A LOT! Habit or should I have her hearing checked?

[Jenny_A]

DD is 3. We are noticing that we have to repeat everything we say to her at least twice and sometimes more than that. She says "Huh?" to every thing. I can't tell if it's just a bad habit she's gotten into or if she really can't hear.

Any advice? If it is a habit, how do I break it? Where would I take her to have her hearing checked? An ENT?

Thanks!

[gatorsmom]

DD is 3. We are noticing that we have to repeat everything we say to her at least twice and sometimes more than that. She says "Huh?" to every thing. I can't tell if it's just a bad habit she's gotten into or if she really can't hear.

Any advice? If it is a habit, how do I break it? Where would I take her to have her hearing checked? An ENT?

Thanks!

It might be just a phase- kids do so many strange things for just a few months here and there and then move on. I could give you so many examples.

If you are really concerned about it, I'd talk to her pediatrician first. Did they do a hearing check at birth? They could do another in the ped's office if you and the ped think it's really important.

[crl]

I ask my kid, what did you hear me say? If he can repeat it back, well, then he heard it. If not, I repeat myself. He really tends to ask me the same question multiple times more than saying huh and I haven't managed to totally break him of the habit.

Catherine

[Jenny_A]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, had her hearing checked at birth and it was fine. Honestly, we just had her eyes tested on a fluke and she has lazy eye. We were shocked! We saw no signs of vision problems. So I guess that's made me a little more sensitive to what else might be wrong and we don't know.

Boy, if this is a phase, I hope it passes soon. It's annoying to have to repeat yourself. I haven't said a word to her or called her attention to it. I just repeat myself until she finally understands me.

I might call the nurse line at the Ped's office and just ask. I think they check at 4 anyway, don't they?

[ohiomom1121]

Has she seen her pediatrician recently to have her ears checked for wax? Kids have tiny ears and it doesn't take much to plug them up causing a conductive hearing loss. I'd start there first, and then move on to a hearing test. They are painless and would set your mind at ease.

[gatorsmom]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, had her hearing checked at birth and it was fine. Honestly, we just had her eyes tested on a fluke and she has lazy eye. We were shocked! We saw no signs of vision problems. So I guess that's made me a little more sensitive to what else might be wrong and we don't know.

Boy, if this is a phase, I hope it passes soon. It's annoying to have to repeat yourself. I haven't said a word to her or called her attention to it. I just repeat myself until she finally understands me.

I might call the nurse line at the Ped's office and just ask. I think they check at 4 anyway, don't they?

Our state checks the kids' hearing in a preKindergarten screening usually between ages 4 and 5. But I agree with Ohiomom to have the ped check for wax and the hearing check if you are concerned. My kids thought the hearing test was fun. :tongue5:

[Katigre]

DS is 3.5 and just started doing this in the past month and it is driving me nuts! I've prompted him to say "What did you say?" instead so at least it sounds more polite than 'huh' or similar which he was doing before.

I think for him it's that he's moved onto more complexity in language understanding/usage and his mental processing is catching up to that next level because his hearing is fine. I think it's just a short phase for him and it will pass - if he's still doing it in a few months I'll have him checked by the dr.

[rachelh]

My 3 year old does not say "huh?" I'd be exstatic with "huh?" Her response to everything is "ehh?" Drives me insane! I say all the time that maybe she can't hear so well but every hearing test she has done fine on. I think its a faze.

[KpbS]

I would make an appointment with an ENT based on our experience last spring. DS1 had some serious hearing loss due to extreme congestion that lasted for 6 weeks. He asked for us to repeat what we said constantly. It was annoying but he really could not hear what we were saying! I wish we had gone in sooner. The audiologist could tell his hearing had been compromised based on the hearing test. Thankfully his ears continue to improve and his hearing (last checked) was also improving but the process was slower than I expected.

[MommyAllison]

My DD did that too, it drove us crazy how much she'd say "what?". I found that if I asked her what I said, she did know most of it, but would be missing a word or two. And she doesn't have any trouble hearing things that are exciting to her. ;) She can easily hear whispers too. We are going to ask about it at her 4 yr well check though.

[niccig]

I would mention it to your ped, and I think we had a hearing test at our 4 yo check up.

It can also be their attention span. I was in a parent ed. class and the teacher said that you have to be right in front of a 4yo, looking them in the eye, for them to understand you - they get distracted by everything that is around them, so if you're off to the side and ask them something, you do get the "what?". She also said that it takes longer for kids to process what you say and give an answer to a question like "what do you want on your sandwich" as they're continually being distracted by everything around them.

[doberbrat]

we started to get the "huh?" and I quickly squashed that in favor of "what did you say Mommy?" which at least is more polite.

there's nothing wrong w/her hearing - evidenced by the fact that she can hear me open a candy wrapper from 3 rooms away - its just distraction in our case.

a call to the pedi is never a bad idea though. some kids do get excess wax build up

[wolverine2]

When DS was 3, he suddenly started saying "what" to everything, and I took him into the Ped, and turned out he had an ear infection. After antibiotics, no saying what anymore, and everything was fine...

[infomama]

we started to get the "huh?" and I quickly squashed that in favor of "what did you say Mommy?" which at least is more polite.
Yes! We corrected 'huh' with 'pardon me' a long time ago. Sadly I have to keep on it b/c my MIL says 'huh' all.the.time.

[hillview]

DS #1 says "what" ALL.THE.TIME. For him it doesn't actually mean "would you please repeat yourself I didn't hear you" instead it means:
- you said a new word and I'd like to hear it again
- I didn't understand a word you said (it is new)
- I don't want to do what you asked and I am delaying
ETC.

I have asked DS to say one of the above (or about 10 other things) and it has started to work.
HTH
/hillary

[Jenny_A]

Thanks for all of the replies! It sounds like it's somewhat common. I'll put a call into the Ped. and look into the ear wax buildup. A few months ago she had a really bad ear infection and never complained about it. The Ped. found it and was really surprised she hadn't said anything. That's also been in the back of my mind too.

Thanks again! I'll post an update when I find out more!

[Jacksmommy2b]

OMG, Jack did this for about a month and it damn near drove me insane. Like a pp said - he could hear a M&M package opened in the kitchen, but I got 'huh?' at least once a day.

His ears were checked and he was fine - I figured maybe it was some sort of 'control' development - like he realized by saying 'huh?' he could get people to react ie. repeat themselves.

Luckily it didn't last too long!

[Twoboos]

I did my own personal hearing test on my girls when it seemed like they weren't hearing me. I'd finally ask - would you like a cookie. Heard me every.single.time.without.fail. (same concept as candy wrapper hearing test, LOL!)

OP, if you do get your DD checked I hope all is well!

[kerridean]

If you do pursue and hearing evaluation, make sure it is done by an audiologist. A screening at school or by a nurse is not good enough.