WaterLily Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I posted on the general board and then started wondering if I should ask for advice/input here? I recently posted that my 8 yo dd failed a hearing screening at the peds. office, followed by failed tests at an audiologist (showed mild conductive hearing loss). I was relieved that the actual hearing nerves are working fine and that it's just a problem with sound getting to those nerves. We wondered if it could be fluid in her ears and the audiologist said that could be the case, but the peds. office said it's not fluid b/c she had just looked in my dd's ears for her checkup and there was no fluid. So the ped sent us on to an otologist and we had that appt. this week. So at the otologist appt., he looked in my dd's ears and then read the report from the audiologist and explained things to us. He seemed confident of what the issue is. He said it's not fluid but there is a problem with the 3 tiny bones in my dd's ears (obviously he went into a lot more detail). He said that there's no way to know exactly what the issue is until you get in there and look around.... So that means exploratory surgery with the intention of fixing whatever is going on with those bones. I asked about hearing aids and he said that is an option for us to consider but she would have that hassle for the rest of her life and most parents in our situation choose surgery. My dd even said she'd rather have surgery. So we don't have the appt. yet but it looks like we're headed for surgery. He also said he'd like to get a scan beforehand in case she should need a prosthesis. So after the otologist we headed for an MRI! My dd was so wonderfully brave but it was still kind of rough... especially because it was with and without contrast. I'm hoping the otologist's office will call me and let me know what the MRI report says. But wait, there's more lol! At the beginning of the otologist appt., I mentioned my dd's giant tonsils and how I wondered if they contributed to her hearing loss. He said it's unrelated, BUT when he took a peek at her tonsils, he said "Whoah!" He described them as "trophy size" lol! He said we should really look at having them taken out b/c if she should ever get an infection that causes her tonsils to swell it could be dangerous. Soooo, now we have an appt. with an ENT and it's likely she'll be having her tonsils out! It was quite an overwhelming day! One encouraging thing is that I'm hoping that once we get her hearing fixed it could help with her learning issues- specifically reading. She's been struggling with that and the otologist said that everything sounds muffled to her so it's likely that it's causing, or at least contributing to, her learning difficulties. So if anyone has experience with any of this, I'd love your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Hi, again. :) At least, he's ordering the MRI. Is he a well-regarded pediatric otologist? Is he associated with a children's hospital? I don't want to upset you because I know you have a lot on your plate, but it's very strange to me that he spoke about exploratory surgery before getting the results of the MRI. Honestly, it's really strange. Is he talking about otosclerosis or something else going on? This is what I would do. Ignore it if you want to. I would get the MRI, definitely. I wouldn't leave the radiology place without a CD of the images and without requesting a copy of the report to be sent to you. You need to have those records in your hands, and I wouldn't take that doctor's word for what's on the report. In the meanwhile, I would get an appointment for a second opinion with the best pediatric otologist you can find or go to a major children's hospital and bring your MRI images and report to the appointment. I could be totally off-base but your description of what happened is setting off alarm bells. For your daughter's sake, please, please, get a second opinion before you let that doctor touch her. I hate to be a party pooper but this could be something that would affect your dd for the rest of her life. It is not something to rush into. The good news is that with tonsils like that, getting them removed will likely have a very positive impact on any learning or behavioral issues. There is a lot of recent research on this. :grouphug: Sorry I couldn't be more positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted June 29, 2012 Author Share Posted June 29, 2012 Thanks so much for the reply - I was looking forward to it. :) I'm always questioning drs. at this point, so I understand what you're saying. We were sent to him by the pediatrician but I don't know if that means anything. His resume seems impressive (written books, invented some medical technique, etc) and I was generally pleased with his bedside manner and how he answered my questions. I don't think he's associated with a children's hospital. He says he does a lot of these surgeries and had done one just the day before. Honestly, I was surprised that he didn't do any testing but maybe what we've done so far is sufficient for him to know what the problem is? As far as "exploratory surgery", he said that he knows the problem is with the 3 ear bones but he won't know specifically what the problem with the bones is until he gets in there? He told me the most common problems with those bones but I don't remember the details (so much info!). Maybe that's part of the reason for the MRI - so he can know more about the problem before surgery? And I'll clarify, my dd did already have the MRI that day. I have the disc from the scan and was told I can give it to the dr. if he asks for it next time I see him. She also said they'd send the report to him. I hadn't though of asking for a copy of the report so I just called and requested one be mailed to me! Thank you!!! I wish I could go pick it up today but that's not going to work. I guess I'll get it early next week. Having said all that, this dr. seems to know his stuff but I'm so frustrated with never knowing if a dr. is "good" or not! Sometimes it's obvious and sometimes not so much! I'll consider getting a second opinion before we would do surgery. I can also ask the ENT for his thoughts when we see him for the tonsils in 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 As someone said on the General Board, I'd take care of the tonsils and adenoids first and see how things go with her, maybe retesting her hearing and things before proceding with an exploratory surgery! His jump to surgery kind of scared me too! :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I'm sorry I was such a sour puss. Maybe I'm on the alert because I have a close friend who is dealing with a complication to a procedure that looks like it may have been done unnecessarily. It just seems so strange to me that a doctor would jump right to surgery, but he's the expert and his credentials do seem impressive. I did check on otosclerosis--which your dd would seem on the young side for--and it did say that surgery could be done without imaging. Otoscleroisis is only on my radar because it's a possible cause for a symptom my dd has, which is not hearing loss, but it seems to fit the description of what your dd has in some ways, the sudden onset conductive hearing loss and having to do with those three little bones. It's great that you're going to see the ENT because he should be able to give you some feedback about this. He may also be able to read those images--ours was able to without the report. It can be very hard finding the right doctor. I remember what we went through with my dd's spine surgery, looking for the right surgeon, with the right credentials, and the right bedside manner, to be able to put my precious child's life in his hands. It was such a relief to me to find that person and see how much confidence he had and would answer all my questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 The tonsils unrelated :blink:! Please read post number 6 in this thread. She is my best friend so I know the situation first hand. Then take your child to an ENT. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163147 Hoping for the best, for your girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 NJKelli, no apology necessary! :) I've very much appreciated your input. And 4evercanucks, thank you for the link! I read through it and found it very interesting. I'm looking forward to asking the ENT his opinion on the possibility of her tonsils/adenoids affecting her hearing. I'll take the MRI cd as well as the report that I should be getting in the mail this week. I just wish I understood why the otologist was so convinced that it's her ear bones. He may be right, but I just don't understand it. She doesn't seem to have a problem with fluid so maybe that means that pressure on the eustachian tubes wouldn't be the problem?... (I've been doing some reading but I'm far from really understanding all this lol!) 4evercanucks, in your friend's post she didn't mention infections or fluid in the ears so did her dc not have trouble with those either? But anyway, if there is a problem with the ear bones, won't it show up on the MRI? I'm anxious to get those results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) NJKelli, no apology necessary! :) I've very much appreciated your input. And 4evercanucks, thank you for the link! I read through it and found it very interesting. I'm looking forward to asking the ENT his opinion on the possibility of her tonsils/adenoids affecting her hearing. I'll take the MRI cd as well as the report that I should be getting in the mail this week. I just wish I understood why the otologist was so convinced that it's her ear bones. He may be right, but I just don't understand it. She doesn't seem to have a problem with fluid so maybe that means that pressure on the eustachian tubes wouldn't be the problem?... (I've been doing some reading but I'm far from really understanding all this lol!) 4evercanucks, in your friend's post she didn't mention infections or fluid in the ears so did her dc not have trouble with those either? But anyway, if there is a problem with the ear bones, won't it show up on the MRI? I'm anxious to get those results. Posting this on my friend's behalf: My dc didn't have fluid in the ears or ear infections. In fact they barely had ear infections. There is a test that can be done to check for fluid in the ear even when the doc can't see it. It was done in our case and fluid in the ears was not an issue. Your case sounds very similar to my ds. It is possible the tonsils and adenoids may not be the cause of your dd's hearing loss but since the tonsils are excessively large, they have to come out. In my kid's case, we didn't know that his hearing loss had anything to do with his tonsils and adenoids when we saw the first ENT, but the second ENT was adamant that the tonsils and adenoids had to come out and an ABR done while the child is sedated before the hearing loss could be properly addressed. How is your dd's sleep and speech? Does she sleep well? Is she a ball of energy during the day, but still doesn't seem to get a good night's sleep? With tonsils that large, she may have sleep apnea as well. Some ENTs will ask for a sleep study before removing the tonsils so you shouldn't be surprised if you are asked to have one done. My suggestion is to go to an ENT and have a scope done to check on the child's adenoids as well before having any surgery done. Then get both removed at the same time if necessary. Bear in mind that in a small percentage of cases, the adenoids grow back and they will have to be removed again. This happened with us. The adenoids are the least painful part of the entire surgery. It is the removal of the tonsils that causes the most post surgery pain. Another recommendation is if your dd is going to have the tonsils and adenoids removed, you should ask for an ABR to be done after the tissues have been removed and the child is still sedated. In our case, the ABR showed perfect hearing. If the ABR is done later on, they will have to sedate the child again. She would be happy to answer any further questions you may have. Edited July 2, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I'd almost be surprised if beccasboys's dd hasn't had an ABR yet... FWIW, an ABR only tests how the nerve transmits signals between the cochlea and the brainstem. I'm not sure if that's the right test to check for hearing after the tonsil/adenoid removal. However, there is another test that electronically tests hearing called otoacoustic emissions that tests the outer hairs in the cochlea and will pick up fluid or other problems in the canals. Both of these tests can be done with newborns so they can be done while a child is sedated, but both can easily be done when a child is awake as long as they can sit still for a couple of minutes. Although Beccasboys' dd has conductive hearing loss. It couldn't hurt to have to have the middle ear reflexes tested and/or get the ABR done, as 4evercanucks' friend suggested, since conductive hearing loss doesn't exclude the possibility of neural hearing loss. Often, the middle ear reflexes are tested by an audiologist during a hearing screening. Abnormal reflexes can be an indication of something going wrong in the ear and with the nerve that travels from brainstem to the ear. It the reflexes are abnormal, then the ABR will be a follow up to eliminate the possiblity of a neural type of hearing loss by checking that the nerve is transmitting the signal between the ear and brainstem normally. Our ABR was also done by our audiologist. Because beccasboys' dd is 8, the ABR would be an easy test. We did it without sedation and it only took a moment. It's done by placing a few electrodes from the forehead around the head on each side. It's absolutely painless and is over before you know it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 4evercanucks, Thank you for the reply on her behalf! I think a tympanogram is the one that tests for fluid? She had that test at the audiologist's and that's one of tests the otologist is basing his diagnosis on. For anyone who might understand... her right ear was a type B (totally flat line) and her left ear was a little bit of a type C (showing slightly negative pressure). I've done so much reading on these test results and I've found what seems like conflicting info? I don't know... I like the idea of having the tonsils out and then doing an ABR test right away. That makes sense to me. We'll see if the ENT agrees lol! My dd's tonsils have been this large since she came home over 4 years ago. Her ped. has always said we'll just keep an eye on them but after what the otologist said I'm finding myself thoroughly annoyed, to say the least, that she didn't think it necessary to send us to an ENT. She asks me about sleep apnea at dd's checkups and since I haven't noticed any apnea and since dd hasn't had infections, I guess that's why she decided to just watch them. Anyway, dd is a restless sleeper - she just moves around a lot - but I wouldn't say she seems unusually tired or hyper during the day. She does snore but I haven't noticed any episodes where she stops breathing. Recently I noticed she was sleeping with her mouth closed (it's usually open) and she was still making a snoring noise! I thought that seemed unusual! She has also had several nosebleeds this past year (so not a ton of them) and she has woken up with nosebleeds twice in the last couple weeks. And I've also noticed that she clears her throat a lot. She said she's not even sure why but I'm guessing she's feeling the obstruction of her tonsils? Oh, and her speech seems fine. She can't say the "r" sound very well yet but other than that it's fine. Thanks again to your friend for her input and to you for posting. I appreciate her sharing her experience and if she has any more thoughts, I'd certainly love to hear. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 NJKelli, I just saw your reply! I'm somewhat overwhelmed lol! I've spent so much time over the last couple weeks trying to understand all of these different tests and the results, but I feel like I have several more hours ahead of me after reading your reply lol! I know dd had several tests and I do have a copy of the results from the audiologist but I'm not even sure if she had the ABR or not? I know she did a test that showed that dd's actual nerves are working fine. And I know she did a test that involved some clicking noises. I think the tests confirmed that it's only conductive hearing loss? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 4evercanucks, Thank you for the reply on her behalf! I think a tympanogram is the one that tests for fluid? She had that test at the audiologist's and that's one of tests the otologist is basing his diagnosis on. For anyone who might understand... her right ear was a type B (totally flat line) and her left ear was a little bit of a type C (showing slightly negative pressure). I've done so much reading on these test results and I've found what seems like conflicting info? I don't know... I like the idea of having the tonsils out and then doing an ABR test right away. That makes sense to me. We'll see if the ENT agrees lol! My dd's tonsils have been this large since she came home over 4 years ago. Her ped. has always said we'll just keep an eye on them but after what the otologist said I'm finding myself thoroughly annoyed, to say the least, that she didn't think it necessary to send us to an ENT. She asks me about sleep apnea at dd's checkups and since I haven't noticed any apnea and since dd hasn't had infections, I guess that's why she decided to just watch them. Anyway, dd is a restless sleeper - she just moves around a lot - but I wouldn't say she seems unusually tired or hyper during the day. She does snore but I haven't noticed any episodes where she stops breathing. Recently I noticed she was sleeping with her mouth closed (it's usually open) and she was still making a snoring noise! I thought that seemed unusual! She has also had several nosebleeds this past year (so not a ton of them) and she has woken up with nosebleeds twice in the last couple weeks. And I've also noticed that she clears her throat a lot. She said she's not even sure why but I'm guessing she's feeling the obstruction of her tonsils? Oh, and her speech seems fine. She can't say the "r" sound very well yet but other than that it's fine. Thanks again to your friend for her input and to you for posting. I appreciate her sharing her experience and if she has any more thoughts, I'd certainly love to hear. :) FWIW, I've been told that "slightly negative pressure" means there's some fluid. Don't feel bad about the pediatrician. I don't think all of them are up on the latest research about big tonsils and how they can affect things. I have two dd's with big tonsils. I wasn't so worried with my oldest since she never got sick, but when she had her MRI, the report noted her enormous tonsils. I had her checked by an ENT and had a sleep study, but no problems were found. She doesn't have hearing loss but she's the one with CAPD and middle ear reflex loss, but I don't think there's a connection. The other dd, I'm watching. Her hearing and CAP evaluations were fine. But, interestingly, she had problems with her "r", too. I had her evaluated at 5 or maybe 6 and the SLP recommended therapy but our insurance wouldn't cover it. I waited and the r came by 6 or 7. I think if the "r" doesn't come by 8, you may have to look into that, but FIRST THINGS FIRST. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 NJKelli, I just saw your reply! I'm somewhat overwhelmed lol! I've spent so much time over the last couple weeks trying to understand all of these different tests and the results, but I feel like I have several more hours ahead of me after reading your reply lol! I know dd had several tests and I do have a copy of the results from the audiologist but I'm not even sure if she had the ABR or not? I know she did a test that showed that dd's actual nerves are working fine. And I know she did a test that involved some clicking noises. I think the tests confirmed that it's only conductive hearing loss? If they said the nerves are fine, they are.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 I think I read that too - about the negative pressure meaning fluid. It doesn't help my confusion that her ears had different results on the tympanogram and niether one was normal! The otologist specifically said that her audiologist test results do not indicate fluid. Hmmm... Second opinion may be in our future. :) Again, maybe he's right, but if I can get more than one dr. (hopefully good drs!) to agree, I'd feel better. As far as the "r" issue, the only reason I'm not too worried about that is b/c my 9 yo ds just learned to say the "r" sound last year when he was 8 so I figured it will come soon enough for dd. You sound like you've got your hands full so hugs to you. It sounds like you've done an awesome job advocating for your dc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I think I read that too - about the negative pressure meaning fluid. It doesn't help my confusion that her ears had different results on the tympanogram and niether one was normal! The otologist specifically said that her audiologist test results do not indicate fluid. Hmmm... Second opinion may be in our future. :) Again, maybe he's right, but if I can get more than one dr. (hopefully good drs!) to agree, I'd feel better. As far as the "r" issue, the only reason I'm not too worried about that is b/c my 9 yo ds just learned to say the "r" sound last year when he was 8 so I figured it will come soon enough for dd. You sound like you've got your hands full so hugs to you. It sounds like you've done an awesome job advocating for your dc! I felt like a bit of a know-it-all addressing this, but I had a stressful six week wait from when we thought dd might have an issue with her auditory nerve until we had the appointment for the ABR. In that time, I read everything I could on the subject of auditory nerves. I bet you can relate to that. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) I got the MRI report in the mail today. More medical jargon that I'm desperately trying to understand! lol! I was glad to see that they didn't find anything scary like tumors or anything. I'm going to put the relevant info and see if it makes sense to anyone... FINDINGS: Seventh and eighth nerve complexes are intact. On T2 heavily water-weighted axial images, the apical turn of the cochlea is indistinct with a less prominent indentation between the superior and basilar turns. Vestibule is intact. No internal auditory canal or cerebellopontine angle masses or enhancement. No scalar abnormality. No evidence of Mondini malformation. No evidence of endolymphatic sac dilation. No masses within the internal auditory canals. Maxillary sinus mucosal thickening. Then it says "no" to some other stuff too. At the end it says... Conclusion: 1. Subtle lack of definition of the cochlea may represent a form of cochlear dysplasia. Finding is subtle and if feasible high-field examination or CT may provide further definition. No evidence of retrocochlear mass. No endolymphatic sac dilation. So since I'm not a dr., I'm confused lol! Can cochlear dysplasia involve the ear bones? I thought the cochlea was the inner ear and the bones are in the middle ear? Also, the report says "may represent a form of cochlear dysplasia" and basically recommends another scan? So was this scan enough to say it IS cochlear dysplasia? I don't know. I'm anxiously waiting to hear from the otologist and hear what he has to say about the MRI and report. And I'll take all this info to the ENT next week too. I know I'm getting very technical here but I just figured you never know if it might make sense to someone. :) (And NJKelli, I appreciate the fact that you're sharing what you've learned with me! :)) Edited July 3, 2012 by beccasboys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I got the MRI report in the mail today. More medical jargon that I'm desperately trying to understand! lol! I was glad to see that they didn't find anything scary like tumors or anything. I'm going to put the relevant info and see if it makes sense to anyone... FINDINGS: Seventh and eighth nerve complexes are intact. On T2 heavily water-weighted axial images, the apical turn of the cochlea is indistinct with a less prominent indentation between the superior and basilar turns. Vestibule is intact. No internal auditory canal or cerebellopontine angle masses or enhancement. No scalar abnormality. No evidence of Mondini malformation. No evidence of endolymphatic sac dilation. No masses within the internal auditory canals. Maxillary sinus mucosal thickening. Then it says "no" to some other stuff too. At the end it says... Conclusion: 1. Subtle lack of definition of the cochlea may represent a form of cochlear dysplasia. Finding is subtle and if feasible high-field examination or CT may provide further definition. No evidence of retrocochlear mass. No endolymphatic sac dilation. So since I'm not a dr., I'm confused lol! Can cochlear dysplasia involve the ear bones? I thought the cochlea was the inner ear and the bones are in the middle ear? Also, the report says "may represent a form of cochlear dysplasia" and basically recommends another scan? So was this scan enough to say it IS cochlear dysplasia? I don't know. I'm anxiously waiting to hear from the otologist and hear what he has to say about the MRI and report. And I'll take all this info to the ENT next week too. I know I'm getting very technical here but I just figured you never know if it might make sense to someone. :) (And NJKelli, I appreciate the fact that you're sharing what you've learned with me! :)) I'm taking this the way you are. Yes, you're right, those three tiny ear bones ARE outside of the cochlea and there's no mention of a problem with them. To answer your question, I DO NOT think there's enough here to diagnose cochlear dysplasia. I think what they are saying is that the images really aren't clear enough to tell exactly what's going on with the cochlea and if there is something, it's on the mild side. In other words, there **may** be a *possibility* that the cochlea didn't form completely perfectly so they are suggesting more imaging as you thought. It's rather inconclusive about the cochlea, but it doesn't seem inconclusive about the bones, does it? I'm glad you're going to talk to the ENT. You will want more imaging and, I would think, a second opinion from another otologist after you get those images. There's also the maxillary sinus mucosal thickening. That means some kind of sinusitis (not really a big deal) but it also could mean there's been fluid. You should ask the ENT about this, too, I think. I wonder if there's any relationship between the sinuses and the tonsils and the Type B and C tympanograms. This is totally new territory for me so I'm just reading along with you. Can't a Type B tympanogram mean fluid in the canal and Type C can indicate something is going on with the eustacian tube? Based on this MRI, it doesn't seem crazy at all to think the sinuses together with the enlarged tonsils could be affecting things even if the cochlea is fine. I hope someone else jumps in. I hate to be dominating this thread, especially since I really have no experience with hearing loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 I read and reread the info and couldn't find anything specifically about the bones. I don't know if it's there and it's in terms I don't understand or if the ear bones weren't mentioned.The otologist didn't call me this week so I don't yet know what he thinks about the MRI results. I'll probably call next week. I'm definitely going to take the MRI info to the ENT next week and see what he says. I'm mostly posting this to give the thread a bump and see if anyone has any specific experience with this kind of thing. (And NJKelli, I've still appreciated your input even if you don't have specific experience with hearing loss. :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddle Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I'm just lurking- our dd was just diagnosed with low frequency hearing loss that is such a mystery that we get to go see a top notch specialist in about two weeks. So I am just learning but if we end up with anything helpful to you I will share:) :grouphug: Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 There's also the maxillary sinus mucosal thickening. That means some kind of sinusitis (not really a big deal) but it also could mean there's been fluid. You should ask the ENT about this, too, I think. I wonder if there's any relationship between the sinuses and the tonsils and the Type B and C tympanograms. This is totally new territory for me so I'm just reading along with you. Can't a Type B tympanogram mean fluid in the canal and Type C can indicate something is going on with the eustacian tube? Based on this MRI, it doesn't seem crazy at all to think the sinuses together with the enlarged tonsils could be affecting things even if the cochlea is fine. . I would certainly follow up on the tonsils and adenoids and possible sinus issues FIRST with an ENT. We had to remove tonsils and adenoids and it really helped the hearing here. My daughter also had long term sinus infections which can be hard to kill. If your child has the tonsils and adenoids removed, ask the doctor to swab the sinuses and culture anything that is up there. Then if it does show an infection you will know which antibiotic to use to kill it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 http://www.ehow.com/facts_5833072_adenoids-causes-sinus-infections.html http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/acute-sinusitis/ds00170/dsection=causes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaterLily Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 Thanks again for the continued advice and encouragement. So we saw an ENT last week. He said that her tonsils are very large and even though he didn't look at them, her adenoids are likely large as well. Like the otologist, he does not think the hearing loss and the large tonsils/adenoids are related either. My dd has not had chronic ear infections (maybe 1 or 2 in the 4 1/2 years she's been home) or a problem with fluid in her ears and he said that they only way large tonsils/adenoids could cause (conductive) hearing loss if they are causing fluid. I specifically asked about if they are pressing on the auditory/eustachian tube but he said no- only if fluid, etc. He asked about the snoring and apnea and I said yes snoring but I haven't noticed apnea. He is still concerned about her sleep and even said it could be causing or contributing to her learning issues. He said they don't take out tonsils/adenoids if they aren't causing any problems - even if they are very large. He said they aren't taken out as a preventative measure and that makes sense to me. Soooo, he wants to do a sleep study. If the sleep study is normal, we leave the tonsils/adenoids alone and move on to dealing with the ears (with the otologist). If the sleep study is abnormal we may take out the tonsils/adenoids, then move on to the ears. (And if the sleep study is normal then it's likely that the ears/hearing loss could be the cause of her learning issues.) Oh, and he wasn't at all concerned about the sinus thing. He said it's mild (not like a total blockage) and is common in kids b/c of colds, allergies, etc. Sooo, that's where we are now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Thanks again for the continued advice and encouragement. So we saw an ENT last week. He said that her tonsils are very large and even though he didn't look at them, her adenoids are likely large as well. Like the otologist, he does not think the hearing loss and the large tonsils/adenoids are related either. My dd has not had chronic ear infections (maybe 1 or 2 in the 4 1/2 years she's been home) or a problem with fluid in her ears and he said that they only way large tonsils/adenoids could cause (conductive) hearing loss if they are causing fluid. I specifically asked about if they are pressing on the auditory/eustachian tube but he said no- only if fluid, etc. He asked about the snoring and apnea and I said yes snoring but I haven't noticed apnea. He is still concerned about her sleep and even said it could be causing or contributing to her learning issues. He said they don't take out tonsils/adenoids if they aren't causing any problems - even if they are very large. He said they aren't taken out as a preventative measure and that makes sense to me. Soooo, he wants to do a sleep study. If the sleep study is normal, we leave the tonsils/adenoids alone and move on to dealing with the ears (with the otologist). If the sleep study is abnormal we may take out the tonsils/adenoids, then move on to the ears. (And if the sleep study is normal then it's likely that the ears/hearing loss could be the cause of her learning issues.) Oh, and he wasn't at all concerned about the sinus thing. He said it's mild (not like a total blockage) and is common in kids b/c of colds, allergies, etc. Sooo, that's where we are now... Thanks for the update. I'm glad you are getting the different issues addressed. Please let us know how the sleep study goes. One step at a time. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.