baby with hearing issues do I need PHI?

[Amara]

My 10 month old son has just failed his 4th hearing test since birth. He has had fluid in one ear since birth & the other has developed it as well. Today he even failed the test that bypasses the fluid so the fluid may not be the issue at all but we wont know that until we get the fluid under control & get him retested.

Anyway for now it's back to my GP for a referral to a specialist.

It's looking like he will have to have grommets or some other kind of op in the future.

I'm thinking about getting private health insurance but am wondering if it's worth doing in my particular situation. It's a big decision as I'm a single mum who's about to go part time at work so it will not be easy to afford it. I have a health care card for myself and my son. I'm more than happy to use the public system but do worry about waiting times for such ops.... particularly because I've been told he's likely to suffer ear infections over winter due to the fluid.

What have other people's experiences been with ops to improve hearing? Did you go public or private? Did your child have to go to a childrens hospital or do local hospitals do this type of thing? I don't want to go out and get PHI only to find out he'll have to go to the RCH in Melb which of course is public & therefore I'd have wasted my money.

[kezzaskids]

I cant answer the PHI question but have you been to an ent and audiologist? I know we have the speech and hearing centre in WA...... is there a similar place in melbourne? Be as pro active as you can! Early intervention is the key. My DD had hearing aids from 6mo :)

[Mrs Nietzsche]

I had similar health problems myself which ended up being very long-term so unfortunately I would say yes.

I don't know what the public options are though and how happy you are with them.

I know that I am really glad that I ended up seeing the top ENT in Aust... I still fly down every 6 mths to see him (bris to sydney).

I also ended up having a lot of surgery and I guess that would be the major expense - being able to have a great surgeon and not be on a waiting list seem pretty importantto me.

I hope it won't be too awful financially if you take the PHI option.

[Izy]

By buying PHI you will have to serve 12 months wait before you can have the surgery privately, it may be similar or less waits in the public system,

HOWEVER

You're never really certain when you'll get in using the public system and can be bumped. with PHI you know that at the end of 12 mths you can get in, and you can stay on the public waiting list even when you have PHI.

If you can afford it (and there are single parent rates that are cheaper than 2 parent families) it might help you in the future if there are any complications or further surgery required.

[Amara]

I cant answer the PHI question but have you been to an ent and audiologist? I know we have the speech and hearing centre in WA...... is there a similar place in melbourne? Be as pro active as you can! Early intervention is the key. My DD had hearing aids from 6mo :)

All the testing has been done by an audiologist. The referral will probably be to a ENT I guess. I have to see my GP once the recommendation arrives from the audiologist. He appears to have completely normal hearing in day to day life. We would not have a clue he had issues if he hand't have been routinely tested after spending 5 days in special care at birth. His speech is normal for his age. He turns to noises & his name etc, dances & bops to music, claps with music etc, it's just when he gets tested that it looks bad.

[gabETandme]

My little boy has had hearing problems since birth Becuase he has other issues he was refered via Royal childrens Melbourne to the ENT where they put him on the waiting list for Grommets In the mean time I decided to get a referal to a specialiest ENT privately because we have private health insurance we were seen in a week and grommets were put in the following week.

We had been on the waiting list for over 18 months before getting the phone call from the RCH. In which I told them I had had it done privately.

It was the best thing I had done if your little one has hearing problems then you need to have it addressed asap as even through there is early intervention )waiting list) to help him learn to talk the sooner the better for your child. My boy had his first grommets at 2 yo he had his second more permant set last september. He is now talking great at almost 4.

I think if I had waited then he would not be talking at all.

Even if you take out the health insurance for the future. And possibly see if you can fund the first surgery yourself so you dont have to wait and have your little one delayed.

Having been through this and seen friends go through the public system I am glad that My little boy is improving alot but also sad for my friends little one who is still waiting.

[Psiren1976]

My nephew had heaps of hearing problems as a baby. My sis-in-law didn't have PHI but wishes she did 'cos it took so long to have all his ear infections, etc diagnosed that he ended up profoundly deaf. He had a cochlear implant but with PHI could have had it much earlier and would probably be speaking better than he is (he's now 8). That said, experiences in the public system were fine, it's just that the system is under so much stress it's difficult to look after everyone all the time.