Some of you know about this, others don’t know about Ear Glue. But I need your opinion, please!
Glue ear is getting more and more attention nowadays. Unfortunetly more kids are having it.
Not talking
My little one, RJ, almost 3 years old is still not talking.
He can produce sounds but does not say any words. He is actually really intelligent as he can clearly understand 2 languages (English and Portuguese) and some Spanish words as well as do his chores and do what is asked to him in any of these languages.
He loves his puzzles and books, but still… he is not talking.
After speaking with the Health Advisor, he went to an Audiology test and then returned for the 2nd appointment. The Glue Ear is there and now we are currently waiting for a letter from the Children’s Hospital to know exactly what is happening and what can be done.
I am writing this since I feel overwhelmed and alone in this.
Not because of my family or friends, but actually from the NHS.
The letter for Audiology (each of them) were 3 to 4 months of waiting; the letter for the hospital is not even here and by the rudeness of the lady that I spoke to yesterday, he is on a waiting list and the letter may (she did say MAY) arrive in one month (it’s been 3 months now).
I know that my son is not the only child with this problem, realize that.
My question is why is this becoming a normal pattern in our children and why can’t it be treated quickly or at least be something that parents need to learn the symptoms?
What is Glue Ear (quoting NHS website)
Glue ear is a common childhood condition where the middle ear becomes filled with fluid. The medical term for glue ear is otitis media with effusion (OME).
It’s estimated that one in five children around the age of two will be affected by glue ear at any given time, and about 8 in every 10 children will have had glue ear at least once by the time they’re 10 years old.
The main symptom of glue ear is some hearing loss in one or both ears. This is usually similar to what you experience when you put your hands over your ears.
Signs that your child may be having problems hearing include:
- struggling to keep up with conversations
- becoming aggravated because they’re trying harder to hear
- regularly turning up the volume on the television
See the link to the full article and video about Glue Ear here:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Glue-ear/Pages/Introduction.aspx
Why I am overwhelmed?
Well first of all I am scared that this develops in a hearing loss. There are times, or moments, in which i test RJ to know if he is hearing ok or not… and he can’t even hear his dad opening the door… this for any parent or anyone that actually has a heart, is beyond painful. My heart breaks about this.
Other symptoms he has: covering the ears or pointing to his ears and cry, scream to be heard because he can’t hear himself, restless because of noises or the lack of them or the worse of them: Earaches with high fever!
I am always pushing for his self-esteem, because for example he doesn’t speak with his friend in the nursery. Maybe he is not confident to produce the sounds or copy them.
This is why I am overwhelmed by this. As a mother to watch her child suffering and not hearing or talking is absolutely painful.
Now my question is: Should I go to a private doctor about this? an insurance doctor?
Does any of you have suffered from this and what did you do?
