ENT appointment

[Anonymous]

We have one on Monday, and I just wondered what I can expect. Ben has had 4 infections since early March (and he’s acting like he has another one right now ), but the doctors in this area supposedly don’t even consider tubes until they’ve had 8 and are loath to do them at this time of year too!!!! That seems outrageous to me, but I don’t want to do surgery unless it’s necessary either. Nor do I want to be laughed out of the office!

His father had tubes as a baby and still has ear problems today, and I know his ears look like his dad’s from the outside anyway.

I would just love to get this one problem solved so I can start sorting out what is truly going on with him.

[Anonymous]

Congrats on getting an ENT appointment! Our ENT said he doesn’t like to do tubes during the spring/summer either b/c it’s not prime ear infection season, but he thought it would be wise with Sarah to do them now.

At our visit Sarah had a hearing test done. They put the tempanogram (sp?) in her ears to check for vibrations. She wasn’t showing ANY vibration from her left ear. Then they did a hearing test. She sat on my lap and they had a little booth for us with different lights/sounds. She rarely responded to anything on the left side. After the hearing test, we went back to the doctor who checked her ears and throat and the surgery was scheduled! It was all pretty brief! We go back for our check up appt. next Thursday and I’m anxious to have her hearing checked again.

8 infections seems like a LOT before wanting to do tubes!!! Because Sarah had had so many infections (6 or 7) at the time of our visit and he said she was on the verge of getting another one, tubes were the best option for us. It has made a HUGE difference and I’m still dumbfounded that we haven’t had to deal with an ear infection in 6 weeks…that seems amazing to me! She was ALWAYS sick with one before…so it’s been a really nice break!!

I hope your ENT will be understanding and supportive and not make you feel stupid. Good luck at your appointment!

[Anonymous]

Alex’s appointment was very similar to Amy’s description. She’d “only” had 4, but they were right in a row. They said the same thing, that they typically prefer to wait until ear infection “season” to do tubes. Then they looked in her ears and said that she definitely fit the profile for someone that needs tube immediately. She’s had a virus, a cold, and a sinus infection in the three weeks since she had them put in, but no ear infections!

[Anonymous]

Kim,

Do you have any idea what they saw about Alex’s ears that made them change their minds about the tubes?

[Anonymous]

I think that it was a combination of her history and looking in her ears. We had just finished going through the story of the previous three months (ear infection, off antibiotics for about a week, another ear infection, etc.). When we saw him, she had been off the latest round of antibiotics for two days. Prior to starting it, she’d had three shots of rocephin. Yet, one of her ears was still full of fluid. So, he said anyone that has had three shots of rocephin followed by a round of omnicef, and still looks ready to burst into infection at any minute is a prime candidate for tubes. Then, they did the hearing test and she had definite hearing loss from the fluid. So, he said that really confirmed the decision for him.

There were 10 days between her appointment and the scheduled surgery day. She got yet another infection during that time. When we went in for her surgery, she’d been on antibiotics for about 4 days. He came out of the surgery and said, “She had an impressive amount of pus in her left ear. She definitely needed these tubes.”

I hope that your appointment goes well!

pkkb2007-07-13 20:43:54

[Anonymous]

He had his appt. today, and the doctor said that he’s certainly a candidate for tubes, but he wanted to wait and see what happened over the rest of the summer. One or two more infections though, and it’s time for tubes.

Hopefully, he won’t get any more, and it won’t even be an issue.

[Anonymous]

I’m glad that the visit went well. Hopefully Ben won’t need them, or at least not get any more infections any time soon!!

[Anonymous]

Hmmm…that sounds like a good plan. Maybe he’s at an age where he might outgrow the whole problem. Hopefully he won’t need the tubes, but I’m glad you found a doc who agrees to do it if he continues to have ear infections.

He looks cute in his little sun hat. Myles flips out and screams bloody murder when I put one on him.

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