[mercedez]

My son has been having ear infections 7 times the last 6months. He is 2.5. He got the hearing test done and i was told he hears us like as if its under water.

Ent Doctor has prescribed the steroid spray and also a saline spray for the next 10 weeks then he has to do another hearing test. He said the last resort would be surgery.

When would the ent doctor resort to surgery? Did the steroid spray helped your child so they didnt end up going for surgery? How long after seeing doctor did your child end up having surgery?

This post has been edited by mercedez: 29/11/2012, 05:11 PM

[blue4me]

DS1 was having hearing problems from fluid in the ears and several ear infections. We had lots of trips to GPs and hearing tests before we were finally told to see an ENT. He has just had his operation a couple of days ago, which was 2 weeks after we decided with the ENTs recommendation for grommets. We were also told he would have been hearing things like being under water and his speech was off because of that and seeing a speech pathologist once a week. I can see some improvements already which is good. We didn't have the steroid sprays, just tried 2 weeks of strong antibiotics but it didn't help and his last hearing test before the op was worse and they strongly recommendated the grommet op ASAP

[Fossy]

I raised concerns about my daughters hearing at her 2 year check, she was mispronouncing a lot of words and speaking in a muffled way. She went for a hearing test, which showed reduced hearing in both ears. She had fluid present so we were advised to come back in 4 weeks to see if it had cleared. When we went back the fluid was still present and her hearing was still reduced. They advised us to come back in 6 weeks, which I was not at all happy with. I went to my gp and got a referral to the ent on a Friday, saw him on the following Tuesday, and she was operated on on the Thursday. So less than a week.

After her operation the ent said it was one of the worst cases he'd seen, took him 3 times as long as normal to suction her ears, and he said he was surprised she could hear at all.

I was very glad I went with my instincts and didn't delay her receiving treatment. We noticed an improvement in her hearing and speech straight away, and her vocabulary has just exploded. It's wonderful to see.

Are you seeing an ent? I've never heard of a steroid spray so can't help there sorry.

Good luck op,

[mercedez]

I raised concerns about my daughters hearing at her 2 year check, she was mispronouncing a lot of words and speaking in a muffled way. She went for a hearing test, which showed reduced hearing in both ears. She had fluid present so we were advised to come back in 4 weeks to see if it had cleared. When we went back the fluid was still present and her hearing was still reduced. They advised us to come back in 6 weeks, which I was not at all happy with. I went to my gp and got a referral to the ent on a Friday, saw him on the following Tuesday, and she was operated on on the Thursday. So less than a week.

After her operation the ent said it was one of the worst cases he'd seen, took him 3 times as long as normal to suction her ears, and he said he was surprised she could hear at all.

I was very glad I went with my instincts and didn't delay her receiving treatment. We noticed an improvement in her hearing and speech straight away, and her vocabulary has just exploded. It's wonderful to see.

Are you seeing an ent? I've never heard of a steroid spray so can't help there sorry.

Good luck op,

Sorry i meant to say that the doctor i have been speaking to is a Ent doctor. The spray is called "nasonex".

[opethmum]

My DD had grommets put in at 22 months, she did not walk very far if at all and she did not have much of a vocab. Within 24 hours she was walking and talking!! I would just go back to your Gp and get a referral to an ENT and get it done sooner rather than later and not waste time IMO with steroid sprays.
Good luck and I hope your DS gets some relief and soon.

[*little-rach*]

My DD1 is having them put in on Monday. She has just turned 5 and has a mild speech delay and fluid in her middle ear.

We had her tested just after she was 2 (hearing) which showed a problem however the audiologist gave us terrible advice and so we didn't act on it.

In my gut I knew there was a problem so we took her to have a second hearing test this year, which showed there was still a problem. Then we got a referral to out ent and now she's booked in for Monday.

Her ent suggested the grommets straight away. I'm hopeful we will see results quickly after Monday.

Good luck

[Mumof1B2G]

Have never been offered a spray.

We are up to round two of grommets with our daughter. We have not had the immediate effects some of our friends did in our immediate friendship circle but we think there may be some undiagnosed problems not helping...

It is a fairly straight forward surgery... I was out of hosptial 2 and half hours after it was done last time...

[mercedez]

My ent doctor says we have to try the steroid spray first b4 resorting to surgery. I am so suprised no one here has had their ent specialist tell them about the spray.

[nlman]

DD had two sets and DS has just had a set put in.

No nasal spray

After each child had their grommets inserted, the difference in temperament was astounding. They went from clingy, whingy children to happy, independant children. Definitely worth doing.

When you say an ENT doctor - is a doctor who has interest in ENT or an actual ENT specialist? I ask because lots of the skins cancer clinics are not staffed by actual dermatologists but by GPs with some extra training.

[i-candi]

DH had terrible problems with his ears and went to an ENT. With DH's job it involves going in an aircraft constantly so effectively he couldn't do his job and had many days off work.

The ENT wouldn't put grommets in as his ears were in too good of shape so prescribed Nasonex. He had to use Nasonex before each flight. This works for him, he doesn't use it all the time but when his ears are bad he uses it every day.

DS now uses Nasonex for his allergies (prescribed by a different doctor) and boy is it good stuff.