We went to Milwaukee yesterday and things went fairly smoothly. We did have to do a lot of waiting though (when do doctors not make you wait!) because we were scheduled for 1:30 and got moved back to 3:00, which became 3:45. The test took about 1 hour and then Logan took a while to wake up. They then held him for almost 2 hours to make sure he was ok from the anesthesia. The doctors did scare me a little just before they took Logan away. They said that kids with DS tend to wake up slower and if he needed a breathing tube during the test he would most likely have some breathing problems for a while afterwards like stridor. That scared me because he has just recently gotten over the stridor he had since he was born. Thankfully, he had no complications and woke up fairly quickly. He did have to have an IV and that worried me because when he had RSV, the nurses were SO glad when he didn't need one because I guess it would have been very challenging to find a vein on his very chubby body. Yesterday they managed to get one in his ankle, and they did it while he was asleep, so he didn't have to feel it.
The results...he hears at a passing or normal level at high pitches, but at lower pitches he hears at a less than a passing level. The audiologist said the loss is not significant enough for hear aids. YAH!! But, he does need to have his hearing rechecked every 6 months to make sure it does not get worse. She mentioned that his type of hearing is very typical of people with Down Syndrome. Also, and most importantly, she said it should not affect his speech development, but of course his DS will affect his speech, we just don't have to worry about his hearing affecting it.
Showing posts with label hearing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hearing. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Playdate with Ruby
A few weeks back we visited Ruby and her family. Check out the pictures on her blog.
We are off to Milwaukee tomorrow for Logan's hearing test. It looks like he is almost over his cold and the Pulmicort nebulizer treatments seem to have stopped the cold from getting worse to the point of needed any other treatment. I was skeptical of the drug at first because breathing treatments have always seemed to make him worse, but this is different than albuterol and looks like it may work to maintain is health from getting really bad when he gets sick. If it keeps him out of the hospital we will definitely continue to use it.
We are off to Milwaukee tomorrow for Logan's hearing test. It looks like he is almost over his cold and the Pulmicort nebulizer treatments seem to have stopped the cold from getting worse to the point of needed any other treatment. I was skeptical of the drug at first because breathing treatments have always seemed to make him worse, but this is different than albuterol and looks like it may work to maintain is health from getting really bad when he gets sick. If it keeps him out of the hospital we will definitely continue to use it.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Ok for Hearing Test Friday
Something that is driving me crazy!!!....I am sick of Pediatricians looking in Logan's ears and saying that he has the smallest ear canals they've seen. They say they can't see much and that is it! They are satisfied with this..."it's hard to see, I could see one part of one ear drum and it looked ok". If anyone knows where I can get a longer probe for their ear thing let me know. I will carry it in my diaper bag! All doctors should have one!!!!
Now that I have that off my chest...
We visited Logan's pediatrician today for his "pre-op" checkup. He's ok to go as long as his cold doesn't get any worse. So, Friday we will be going down to Milwaukee for a sedated auditory brain response test to check the quality of Logan's hearing. Around Christmas time his OT suggested we get his hearing checked because he did not seem to be responding at all to his musical toys or rattles. Also, he was rarely responding to his name or our voices.
I took him to an ENT in the area in January where he failed a hearing test and fluid was found in his ears. We then had ear tubes put in to drain the fluid and we retested his hearing, but he still failed. The local ENT did not feel comfortable going any further with Logan, since he has some other issues as well (breathing, sleep apnea) and he needed a more extensive hearing test (ABR), so we where sent to the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee to see a Pediatric ENT Specialist. This new doctor still had little answers for Logan's difficulty breathing and sleep apnea, but he did retest his hearing (still a fail) and set us up for the ABR. Logan needs to be sedated for between 1-2 hours to complete the test, so of course I am nervous about the sedation. The test itself should be a breeze.
In the last 2 months or so, Logan has started responding to sounds and his name so I am fairly confident that we will get good results on Friday. I just pray it all goes smoothly and that we don't get all the way down there and they tell us he is too sick to do the test.
Now that I have that off my chest...
We visited Logan's pediatrician today for his "pre-op" checkup. He's ok to go as long as his cold doesn't get any worse. So, Friday we will be going down to Milwaukee for a sedated auditory brain response test to check the quality of Logan's hearing. Around Christmas time his OT suggested we get his hearing checked because he did not seem to be responding at all to his musical toys or rattles. Also, he was rarely responding to his name or our voices.
I took him to an ENT in the area in January where he failed a hearing test and fluid was found in his ears. We then had ear tubes put in to drain the fluid and we retested his hearing, but he still failed. The local ENT did not feel comfortable going any further with Logan, since he has some other issues as well (breathing, sleep apnea) and he needed a more extensive hearing test (ABR), so we where sent to the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee to see a Pediatric ENT Specialist. This new doctor still had little answers for Logan's difficulty breathing and sleep apnea, but he did retest his hearing (still a fail) and set us up for the ABR. Logan needs to be sedated for between 1-2 hours to complete the test, so of course I am nervous about the sedation. The test itself should be a breeze.
In the last 2 months or so, Logan has started responding to sounds and his name so I am fairly confident that we will get good results on Friday. I just pray it all goes smoothly and that we don't get all the way down there and they tell us he is too sick to do the test.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Really Bad Timing
This morning I got a call from Children's Hospital in Milwaukee saying they could get Logan in tomorrow for his ABR hearing test!! We actually made it to the top of the cancelation list and I had to say no! Of course he couldn't go because he is sick...but for this test he has to be perfectly healthy with no fluid in his ears. Now I have to hope that his ear infection clears up fast and he gets better before they call again....if that even happens. We are scheduled for April.
This morning the doctor said Logan has to be off oxygen completely for 12 hours before we can go home. He is still on it right now. :(
This morning the doctor said Logan has to be off oxygen completely for 12 hours before we can go home. He is still on it right now. :(
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
ENT visit at Children's Hospital
Yesterday, Logan and I went to see the Pediatric ENT at Children's Hospital.
As far as his hearing...they repeated the test he had last week with the same result, a fail. So, we were put on the day surgery schedule for a sedated auditory brain response test. They told me that due to is DS and his breathing issues he would need to be put out for the two hour test. At least this is the last test they can do, it will give us all of the answers we need. BUT, the soonest we can get in for this test is the middle of April!! I even asked if we could do it closer to home at a different hospital and they said no. We are on a cancellation list, so I am crossing my figures that they well call with an opening soon.
As far as his breathing...the doctor said that Logan sitting up to sleep sounded like it was working well for him, so we will look for a different sleep solution when he can no longer sit in the car seat. And as for his cough. He said it sounds barky because of Logan's narrow airway and is probably caused by extra saliva or drainage, but if he starts coughing more than only intermittently during the day and at night, we have to have his airway looked at. I guess they would send a camera down his throat to take a look. He could have one of many possible structural abnormalities in his airway. He named a bunch, but they all had weird names.
Good news...the hearing test they did perform showed that Logan is most likely hearing at some pitches, and it is possible that the test didn't detect reaction to the other pitches because of the tubes in his ears. So the doctor said there is a chance that he is hearing well.
This duck for the tub is working great for bath time! I was getting frustrated because Logan is too big for an infant tub, but can't sit up in the regular tub. I thought he might slip around in the duck, but the bottom is grippy so he can sit and lean against the tail (or it also makes a great head rest!)
As far as his hearing...they repeated the test he had last week with the same result, a fail. So, we were put on the day surgery schedule for a sedated auditory brain response test. They told me that due to is DS and his breathing issues he would need to be put out for the two hour test. At least this is the last test they can do, it will give us all of the answers we need. BUT, the soonest we can get in for this test is the middle of April!! I even asked if we could do it closer to home at a different hospital and they said no. We are on a cancellation list, so I am crossing my figures that they well call with an opening soon.
As far as his breathing...the doctor said that Logan sitting up to sleep sounded like it was working well for him, so we will look for a different sleep solution when he can no longer sit in the car seat. And as for his cough. He said it sounds barky because of Logan's narrow airway and is probably caused by extra saliva or drainage, but if he starts coughing more than only intermittently during the day and at night, we have to have his airway looked at. I guess they would send a camera down his throat to take a look. He could have one of many possible structural abnormalities in his airway. He named a bunch, but they all had weird names.
Good news...the hearing test they did perform showed that Logan is most likely hearing at some pitches, and it is possible that the test didn't detect reaction to the other pitches because of the tubes in his ears. So the doctor said there is a chance that he is hearing well.
This duck for the tub is working great for bath time! I was getting frustrated because Logan is too big for an infant tub, but can't sit up in the regular tub. I thought he might slip around in the duck, but the bottom is grippy so he can sit and lean against the tail (or it also makes a great head rest!)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Scratch that last post!!!
They called me back...and we got moved up to Tuesday!!! The scheduler did not realize that she was talking to the Logan who the ENT doctor wanted to see as soon as possible. He wants us to come down soon not because of the hearing loss, but because of his possible airway obstruction. So finally, we may get the breathing stuff figured out.
I feel MUCH better now!
I feel MUCH better now!
Pure Frustration
Logan can't get in for his appointment with the Pediatric ENT until February 2oth!!!! The first person I talked to told us the first appointment was March 24th, but I pushed to get him in ASAP. And the appointment is only to meet the doctor and have his initial evaluation. We have to go back for his "surgery" to test his hearing. (he needs to be sedated for the ABR, so I guess they call it surgery) I guess I will be waiting even longer to get the answers I need...
Monday, January 21, 2008
Hearing Test Results
Good news....the fluid has completely drained from Logan's ears.
Bad news....Logan did not pass his hearing test so he has some degree of hearing loss.
Logan did a great job sitting quietly for his hearing test. (Besides his noisey breathing almost messing up the test) At first, I was a little concerned when he cried for a good 10 minutes after the doctor looked in his ears and I had to feed him to settle him down. I think Logan has a hard time with pain. Every time he is in any kind of pain, it takes him FOREVER to get over it. Not sure why that is?? Anyway, after he settled down they did the test. It came back a fail for both ears so we will be going down to the Children's Hospital of Milwaukee for an Auditory Brain Stem Response Test and while we are there, Logan will see a Pediatric ENT Specialist to try to figure out Logan's breathing issues.
Bad news....Logan did not pass his hearing test so he has some degree of hearing loss.
Logan did a great job sitting quietly for his hearing test. (Besides his noisey breathing almost messing up the test) At first, I was a little concerned when he cried for a good 10 minutes after the doctor looked in his ears and I had to feed him to settle him down. I think Logan has a hard time with pain. Every time he is in any kind of pain, it takes him FOREVER to get over it. Not sure why that is?? Anyway, after he settled down they did the test. It came back a fail for both ears so we will be going down to the Children's Hospital of Milwaukee for an Auditory Brain Stem Response Test and while we are there, Logan will see a Pediatric ENT Specialist to try to figure out Logan's breathing issues.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
New Year, New Adventures
"To new adventures".....life is still keeping it interesting, someone has to keep me on my toes.
I took Logan to an ENT on yesterday. I took him because his occupational therapist questioned his hearing and I was still very concerned about his cough (that has been around since September) and the fluid in his ears. I learned a lot from the doctor and now I wish I would have taken him sooner. Some concerns the doctor had was his breathing while he is sleeping (sleep apnea), fluid in his ears and his hearing. First, they did a hearing test and they were unable to get a result because of fluid in both of his ears. They did find that his ear drums are not responding the way they should to sound, but before they can find out if it is a hearing loss, they need to drain the fluid and put tubes in his ears. Two weeks after the surgery they well retest, then we will finally know if he is hearing well or not. We were also told that Logan needs to sleep with the head of his bed raised or in a car seat to help him with his breathing. I didn't realize that sleep apnea is pretty much a for sure thing for him when he is an adult and the doctor wants to eventually take out his tonsils and adenoids to help with that. I am concerned that the reason he sleeps so much is because he is not getting the proper amount of oxygen at night. I feel guilty for not thinking of that earlier...we will just have to wait and see if there is a difference in him after the tubes are in and his is sleeping upright.
He will have the tubes put in on Tuesday.
I took Logan to an ENT on yesterday. I took him because his occupational therapist questioned his hearing and I was still very concerned about his cough (that has been around since September) and the fluid in his ears. I learned a lot from the doctor and now I wish I would have taken him sooner. Some concerns the doctor had was his breathing while he is sleeping (sleep apnea), fluid in his ears and his hearing. First, they did a hearing test and they were unable to get a result because of fluid in both of his ears. They did find that his ear drums are not responding the way they should to sound, but before they can find out if it is a hearing loss, they need to drain the fluid and put tubes in his ears. Two weeks after the surgery they well retest, then we will finally know if he is hearing well or not. We were also told that Logan needs to sleep with the head of his bed raised or in a car seat to help him with his breathing. I didn't realize that sleep apnea is pretty much a for sure thing for him when he is an adult and the doctor wants to eventually take out his tonsils and adenoids to help with that. I am concerned that the reason he sleeps so much is because he is not getting the proper amount of oxygen at night. I feel guilty for not thinking of that earlier...we will just have to wait and see if there is a difference in him after the tubes are in and his is sleeping upright.
He will have the tubes put in on Tuesday.
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