Just an update: Grey has an appointment with the audiologist again in August and then we will meet with an ENT following this appt. Apparently it is difficult to get in with an ENT specialist this time of year. Or maybe it has something to do with the abundance of ear infections and surgeries needed to drain fluid in the ears of todays children. It seems like every time I talk to a parent they mention "oh yes, my child has tubes in their ears... no biggie" How come I didn't have multiple ear infections has a child? My siblings didn't have ear issues, my husband didn't have ear infections. I've researched recently that this new ear infection craze my have something to due with undiagnosed food allergies. Hmm... maybe it has something to do with all the chemicals that now taint our fruits and veggies. Heck, I don't know. Grey does not attend daycare, we don't put him to bed with a bottle, no second hand smoke. And, I worked very hard and exclusively pumped for 8 months to provide Grey with breast milk.
There is the chance that the fluid will resolve and hearing will return to normal. In the meantime, I need to determine if tubes is the correct path to take. I don't want to sign up for this surgery without doing my research. I'm just the typical worrisome mother wanting the best for her baby who has already struggled enough during his first year.
4 comments:
I hope your appointment goes well with the ENT. I know what you mean about the ear infections - it seems like kids get them much more and tubes go in every other toddler. Someone mentioned Charlotte maybe needing them at like her 2nd or 3rd ear infection and I was like, uh, this is normal, don't think we are in tube range yet. Thankfully she has stopped getting them! I think a lot of illness came from one little boy I babysat that got everyone else sick and they passed it round and round. (I had to let him go, obviously) After that though, no ear infections or illness really. And charlotte does still go to bed with a bottle at night (I know, wrist slap) and she had breast milk but just for 6 weeks. I guess all kids are different, I don't know if you can really say though that "because you did this or don't do this you child will have ear problems" It does seem odd though that it is so rampant now. You wonder if we were misdiagnosed as children, or if our children are now. Sorry, you didn't ask for my opinion and this post is much longer than I intended! I hope to hear great news about Grey and his ears!
Well we are the opposite here... I had tons of ear infections and tubes in my ears (and as an adult I suffer from chronic inner ear trouble), but my daughter hasn't had much ear trouble to speak of. (And FWIW my mom nursed me for years and was into health food and vitamins, and a bit of a hypochondriac). The tubes really are no biggie and make a WORLD of difference. But I hope that Grey's ears clear up on their own :-)
As a side note, I think you may be onto something with the undiagnosed food allergies though... I have always been "sensitive" to certain things but have never gone to be diagnosed for an allergy, and I find out the older I get the more intolerances I have (or I'm becoming more aware of them anyway). I'd never thought of that, but it would make sense.
Thanks for the input/advice... I always enjoy reading the thoughts of other parents. I should mention that Grey is battling middle ear fluid without the infection... difficult to diagnose b/c no infection exist to present the problem. We only know this fluid exist b/c he can not pass a hearing test and the audiologist uses tympanometry to confirm the fluid exist. I guess I shouldn't say ear infection. However, they both end with the same result... tubes in the ears. And again, this middle ear fluid seems so much more common these days.
Hi! I never had much problem with ears growing up, I was more of a tonsilitis kind of girl, but Shep did. From what I've heard, it doesn't much matter with NICU kiddos... They just seem more prone to ear fluid buildup for whatever reason. Dax has still never had an actual ear infection, but he had chronic fluid that reduced his hearing and I couldn't bear that with as many other obstacles as he'd had. Still a tough choice, though! I know you'll make the right one for Greyson, whichever path that might be!
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