We got the results back from Theodore's sleep study we did last week, and the results are not looking good. I called the ENT and he told us we'll are going to need to remove his tonsils and adenoids, but not until we figure out if he's going to need tubes in his ears as well. At our last appointment, he has to have confirmed fluid in the ears for 6 months before they decide to do tubes. And because it took us two months to get an appointment with him, the count-down starts from our first appointment, even though the pediatrician has been noting fluid in his ears at least all winter, and probably it was from birth. Rather than speed things up, we are waiting, all the while his speech development is becoming more and more delayed (he only says one word: "ball" at 21 months). It's really frustrating because if we're going to do it, why not JUST DO IT!? Poor kid is pretty miserable, sick all the time (yet another ear infection this week), sleeps horribly because of the sleep apnea, and can't hear correctly! When I called the ENT to ask if we could speed things up, he didn't talk to me, just told the nurse to tell me: "he's the physician and he says so."
I would get a second opinion, but all the clinics take at least two months to get an appointment for a new patient. And we think our health care is SOOOO efficient and SOOOO quick and OH GOD, let's not go to socialized medicine because we'll have to WAIT MONTHS FOR AN APPOINTMENT! Well, newsflash: our system is already inefficient, not cost-effective, AND I'm waiting months for an appointment. At least it's technically free for us.
I would get a second opinion, but all the clinics take at least two months to get an appointment for a new patient. And we think our health care is SOOOO efficient and SOOOO quick and OH GOD, let's not go to socialized medicine because we'll have to WAIT MONTHS FOR AN APPOINTMENT! Well, newsflash: our system is already inefficient, not cost-effective, AND I'm waiting months for an appointment. At least it's technically free for us.
One of my massage clients who's a nurse had a similar problem with her boy who's now 8. He was diagnosed with a bunch of learning disorders and she'd been telling her doc that it was something with his sleep or breathing. They went to an ENT and was diagnosed with sleep apnea and had his tonsils and adenoids removed. His teachers are amazed that he's finally focused and learning. So at least you're catching Theodore's ENT issues early on.
ReplyDeleteAlso, our second son, E., started talking around 12-18 months and then didn't talk for about 9 months. (It took us a while to realize it he'd stopped communicating.) But we bought a house, fixed it up, moved, I was on bedrest, and had a baby all within 9 weeks. (New home, Church, Mom occupied with a new baby,etc.) It was too much change for him to handle and he shut down. We had to get therapy for about 6 months before he started communicating again. Little people can only handle so many changes at a time. I've heard about 1 big change every 4-6 months. Something to think about.
If you think 2 months is bad, ask my Canadian sister-in-law how long it would take her to get an appointment. Her pediatrician only takes appointments at the office in her town on FRIDAYS. Her kids had strep and it took over a week to get the results, and they wouldn't give her antibiotics in the meantime. You know how we have those five-minute rapid strep tests? And the "long" strep test takes 24 hours? Yeah, go try Canada.
ReplyDeleteps Sorry to focus on your rant. I really hope A gets the surgery he needs soon. Don't be afraid to be pushy. Pushy parents generally get taken seriously. Ask for things in wririting. That gets results, too.
ReplyDeleteI would get on the wait list at another clinic just incase you have problems with first. backups are always good. Hope it all works out ok!
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