Operation

[Melissa1983]

I was wondering if anyone has experienced putting their precious child through an operation? Abby has to have things in her ears (sorry can't think of the word), She keeps getting middle ear infection every two weeks, so they want to operate. I am scare that something might happen. If she doesn't have it done it could affect her hearing in the future, so i know it has to be done.

Has anyone had any experiences? Does anyone know how long the procedure goes for and how long in hospital?

Thank you everyone

[Ky]

Mel ...

My nephew had grommets put in his ears and his adenoids out when he was four. It was done as day surgery and we were all prepared for a whinging little boy in heaps of pain afterwards as he is a bit of a wimp, but instead he was happy and feeling very little pain at all.

Fortunately, it is more traumatising for the parents this one ... I am glad, because Dan has had glue ear and it isn't quite cleared up meaning that he may have to have it done some time in the future ... we will just have to wait and see.

It really is better to get it done ... it ends the endless rounds of painful ear infections and risk of hearing problems.

My thoughts and prayers are with you ... I hope you have a real peace about having it done when the time comes.

Big hugs to Abby ... she will feel better for it. :)

[the_queen]

Hi Mel,

My DD had grommets (thats the word you're looking for, right? :) ) put in her ears last year. She didn't even stay overnight, it was Day Surgery and I took her home after they'd "kept an eye on her" for an hour or so. We had no problems, everything went smoothly and the grommets are still in and doing their job to this day!

Our experience may be different from yours though, as Vallerie was born with a bilateril cleft lip and had her first repair surgery at 14 weeks old. She then had another surgery to do "touch up work" as they called it, at 11 months old. Then she had the grommets at age 3, and she's due for her next cleft repair surgery within the next 6 months. Then she'll have a bone graft into her top gum when she's about 9, and then a mid-face advancement surgery after she's finished growing, at about age 18.

Don't worry about the surgery, it really is a simple procedure and they would only suggest it if they knew it would truly help Abby. Vallerie didn't have recurrent ear infections; she did have a few, but cleft-affected children generally tend to be more prone to them, so Vallerie had them put in as a preventative measure. But she has never had any ear problems since then at all. You're just being a really really good mummy by worrying about the surgery! Of course it's scary (for you as well as Abby) and of course you're going to be anxious while you're waiting for her to come back from surgery. But like you said, recurrent ear infections can cause hearing damage, so you are definately doing the right thing by having the grommets put in.

:)

[Rell]

My little Nathan had to have surgery when he was 3 weeks old to fix a blockage in his stomach. In some ways we were lucky because we found out on the Thursday and he had the operation the next day so we were not left to worry about it for too long which I think is the worst part of your child having surgery.
Hope all goes well for you.

[jaydensmum]

Fortunately ive never had to put my DS into an operation so i dont know how you could be feeling. All i can say is that im thinking of you and your little one and im sure everything will be ok. :)

jaydensmum

[Melissa1983]

Thanks everyone! Will let you know how we go

[Baby Girl]

I have had ear troubles all my life (just my left side!). I had my first grommet put in at about 3 and have had about 6 operations for repeat "installations" as they fall out as kids grow. I still have one in my left ear and I still only have about 30% hearing on that side and as it turns out I really did not need so many operations but could have been fixed up with laser surgery at about 8 had my specialist 'believed' in it!! Turns out I now have so much scar tissue on my ear drum that I can't get it fixed any better than it is now!! Make sure you get a second specialists opinion before you decide if you are going to have the grommets replaced after the initial operation. Anyhow I ramble.....

The operation itself is not so terrible. I remember relief every time I came out of surgery as my ear felt clear (they clean it out to put in the grommets) and instead of hearing the ocean whooshing in my ear I could hear people talking. It didn't stop the ear infections completely but because the grommet aids drainage it definitely reduces the pain as there is less build up of gunk (for want of a better word) in the ear. I remember my last op the best (I was 16!) and it is painless. My mum always said the worst part was watching me pass out from the anasthetic (sp?). I was only in for day surgery every time.

I don't mean to alarm you or make it sound like a terrible operation, there are heaps of people that have had grommets and they have fixed the problem as they have grown. I just think that you should be aware that if the problem that your DD has continues after the first round of grommets there are other options than more of the same operations.

You and your little one will be fine.