To puss for hearing aids over grommits?

[mummyneedingahug]

DS (4) has had glue ear most likely for years and has a moderate hearing loss.
Audiologist gave me the choice of grommits or hearing aids today and from what I have read I felt pretty confident in going for hearing aids in the hope that the glue will go (soon?).
However on telling his new class teacher my choice she looked at me like I was crazy....AIBU?

My DS was plagued with ear infections, throat infections, restricted breathing, glue ear as a toddler. Repeated trips to audiology showed hearing impediment and the glue ear did not clear up over an 18 month observation period.
At just 3 he had his tonsils and adenoids removed and grommits inserted. He is nearly 6 now and we've never looked back. His hearing improved, literally overnight, and he has not had an ear infection or throat infection (or any type of infection/cold) since. For us it was the best thing ever.
Based on that i would suggest grommits to clear the glue ear, before going down the hearing aids route.

Grumpystilksin - my son was exactly like that. We were so nervous about the operation, but honestly the moment he came round from it he was like a new little man! So talkative, energised, listened, interactive and HAPPY. We hadn;t really realised how miserable all this had been making him, but 3 years on everyone who knows us still comment on what a transformation it was.

We also went down the hearing aid route rather than the operation, we done this as our DS had had an operation in his first year and had had real difficulties in comming round after the anesthetic and that as his glue ear caused as a very small deformity in the ear, there is a strong possibility that grommets wouldnt help or that they would fall out.

He is only expected to need them until he is about 8, we have had absolutely no negative problems with them or with any of his classmates (dont think they`ve noticed!). The difference to his speech and hearing is amazing.

I do think its a very personal decision, and neither way is wrong or right, its which one is better for your dc.

My DS is waiting for an appointment with the ENT due to bad ear infections, crap hearing etc etc...I am hoping he will be offered the chance to have grommets and would def pick that over hearing aid any day of the week.

Mummyneedsahug - I am guessing that you hope this will resolve as your ds grows, and his eustacian tube gets longer. If this is going to happen, it will happen even if he has the grommets, but the difference is that, in the interim, he will have had good hearing rather than the best that hearing aids can offer through glue ear, which doesn't sound as if it's as good.

The operation is really quick and simple - I used to be a scrub nurse in an Ear, Nose and Throat theatre, so I have assisted with many of these, and it is almost faster to do than it is to describe. Anaesthetics today are very good, and have a lot less 'hangover' effect, plus he will only have a short anaesthetic, so should recover faster.

I would go for the grommets for me or for any of my children.

Fanjo, for what its worth, our audiology dept told me my son was moderately deaf and would need hearing aids in both ears. I disagreed, and said that I saw no evidence of him having a hearing problem and to retest.

They were reluctant because they had decided I was in denial and kept saying how most parents who don't have hearing problems in the family just have no idea something is wrong and that you can't necessarily "see" it.

Turned out they were wrong and I was right, but regarding your DD's hearing test coming as a surprise - that is by no means unusual according to what they said.

My DS wears hearing aids (mod-severe senso-neural hearing loss) not glue ear. Tho it took 2 years to be properly diagnosed after being told it was glue ear , then behavioural that he wasnt listening etc

As soon as he got them he could hear and started to speak. It was amazing. Hes now in reception, hes the first in his school to wear them and NO one has commented on them. He wears them continually and is fine.
Having hearing aids fitted doesn't involve an operation, there no risk of infection, grommets can fall out, cause discomfort etc,
Don't get put off by hearing aids they are simple to fit, easy to use and when glue ear has 'got better/ stopped' and he can hear better again , you wont need them.
I have a friend whos DC had grommets fitted , one fell out and they will never go back down that route.. too much trauma for they child (long story)

another vote for Grommets - DD2 has had them done twice now - it makes a huge difference and it's a really simple op.

If they don't work then you can opt for hearing aids surely?

I'm slightly confused. Why are you against grommets? Is it the operation because if so, it's such a minor operation and could solve your son problem within weeks.

Oh and she went from a bit groggy port op to sitting up and eating crisps within an hour! she was fine

PS Grommets DO fall out - they are designed to :)

We weren't offered a choice of hearing aids but my son's moderate to severe loss from glue ear was immediately improved by grommets. That's when he realised his new baby sister could cry a bit loudly.

wfhmumoftwo - I was like your little boy. From the age of 3 until 8 I was repeatedly ill with ear infections and tonsilitis. I had various sets of grommits and my adenoids out. They grew back and I then had them out with my tonsils and a final set of grommets put in. Never looked back once the tonsils were out. Over all, between that time, I had 4 GAs with no ill effects.

I genuinely cannot imagine what my life would be like now if I hadn't had these operations. I think I would probably have serious hearing impairment and/or speech impediment. Even if the hearing issues do resolve later, you can never get back that learning time re speech, school and general social development. I can't believe that hearing aids would allow the hearing that grommits would.

I don't ever remember having any ear infections as a result of the grommets. I just needed to be careful when I went swimming. Wore a swimming hat with ear plugs and no ill-effects.

I'm expecting my first DC and I will be on the look out for any sign of glue ear. I'm glad I've read this thread. I would be frankly astonished if a doctor offered hearing aids rather than grommets and would definitely be seeking a second opinion to ensure that DC got the grommets.

www.clapa.com/medical/article/338/
article on pros and cons of both. Hearing aids have been used more recently due to concerns that long term hearing may be worse from scarring from grommets than if the glue drains away naturally and the ear drum has no scarring from grommets.
I would try hearing aids first.

My ds1 has glue ear. He was diagnosed in march 2010 and in the June had grommets put in. It was picked up as he only had about 6 (not very clear) words and was 2 years 3 months. He had never had an infection. Unfortunately he had lots of infections after that so they took them out. His hearing did improve slightly but in march this year i was told he still had the glue and reduced hearing. He went last month to have them put back in. The specialist asked me if I wanted grommets or aids. I asked his opinion and he said that if it were his son, he would have the grommets. He has had his adenoids out too in the hope that it will drain any fluid and so far he hasn't had any problems.

My DS is 4.5 and is starting school in sep. he is way behind his peers but without the grommets he could have been worse. I say go for the grommets.

Thanks to those who responded to my post. I really thought it was tge 'normal' not paying attention being engrossed in what she was doing. She's had two tests now with tge same result so there is a problem. She had rhinitis diagnosed during an allergy appt which would also account for many of her symptoms so I'm try to make sure tgat is in hand before a ENT proposal but it seems tge allergy clinic can't keep up with there reviews ATM

Thanks for messages and thoughts.
I have decided to arrange an ENT appointment and go on the waiting list for grommets. In this time we will trial the hearing aids and I am also going to do this 3 times daily - started today! I will then make a decision having tried all options first. www.gluear.co.uk/parents/how-does-otovent-work.ashx

I was diagnosed with glue ear as a child. I am 37 and I still suffer. I spent my entire life dealing with ENT issues. Sinusitis, rhinitis, deafness, sleep apnoea, mouth breathing, ear infections, my ears popped constantly, like being on an airplane. I was never offered anything! Until, aged 32, I got a blocked sinus, and went to A&E in total AGONY.
I was referred to ENT and had Grommits fitted. I have not looked back. I have not had one episode of any of the above symptoms. Even my horrendous hayfever is a distant memory!
GO FOR THE GROMMITS. I feel robbed that as a child, I was overlooked, useless GP and didn't have Grommits back then. I've spent 30 odd years in hell. A simple operation could have changed my life!
Seriously, hearing loss is just one symptom. There is so much more to Glue Ear, and it doesn't necessarily just go away!

I remember when I had my grommets fitted, the day after my mum took me into town and an ambulance went past - I cried as I didn't realise until that point how loud it was (this was 34 years ago and still remember it to this day )

My eldest DS had terrible trouble with glue ear and has had 3 sets of 'normal' grommets. After the last set fell out and there was no improvement, we were offered a choice of metal grommets that will need removing and possible skin graft on his ear drums when he is 18+ or hearing aids....we went with the grommets. The reasoning was that were were improve rather than giving up and the bullying aspect.

DS is now nearly 18 and his hearing is 100%; we have to see the consultant in 6 months time regarding removal and skin grafts, but I am 100% positive we made the right decision as he has his natural hearing rather than not trying and him depending on aids for the rest of his life.

Grommets can go wrong and went they go wrong it is hideous. There is a risk of permament hearing loss which is why ENT surgeons aren't keen to do grommets.

Ds had grommets and they fell out after 6 weeks leaving gaping holes in his ear drum. He had constant pus coming out his ears and it stank like a dustbin. We were seeing the ENT consultant every month for nine months try all different kinds of anti biotics. Eventually the ear drum healed and the glue ear did return with vengence.

After that experience I chose for my son to have digital hearing aids instead. My son had hearing aids for 18 months and did not experience any teasing at all. My son had bright blue hearing aids with Dr Who ear moulds. Hearing aids are far more common and its no different to a child wearing glasses from a bullying point of view. In my experience adults have far more of an attitude problem than children.

I felt that idea of putting my son through two operations with metal T grommets was very traumatic for what is a temporary problem. Glue ear beyond the age of seven is extremely rare. The scarring to the ear drum can cause permament hearing loss.

However we are each affected by our life experiences. There is no way that my daughter is going to have grommets if she develops glue ear.

My DS has just had his 4th set of grommets removed (they were T grommets so more permanent) he had just passed his first every hearing test aged 9 years

It is a difficult choice..... My DS had 3 sets of grommets and never had any problems afterwards. Yes they fall out after a while but as a previous poster mentioned that's what they are meant to do. As the eardrum grows it repels them and they pop out hopefully the glue doesn't reform but as we all know that is not necessarily the case.

It has been mentioned that grommets can cause scarring on the ear drum but we were also told by our ENT surgeon that the glue can scar the ear drum on the inside too. So it really is a no win situation!

I think one has to consider how longs DC has been without hearing and the affect this has on their development. It took ages for us to actually gets an appointment ( 6 months) and then to wait a similar amount of time to see if it cleared up. It didn't, and so my DC had grommets and the difference was immediately amazing. In our case we had an underlying hearing loss so my DC now wears hearing aids. Agree with previous posters that there is no embarrassment connected to wearing a hearing aid these days as they are very funky - however looking a few previous posts not all posters would agree!

OP your idea of going on list for grommets and getting hearing aids in the mean time sounds a good one. Good Luck!

I dont understand why you'd go straight for the hearing aids. Grommets are always the first stage.

Don't people know what grommets are, a few people in this topic have made it clear they don't.

They are NOT to replace hearing aids. They are a treatment. They are SUPPOSED to fall out. If they don't work, try again. If they don't work then then it's obviously a different issue and hearing aids will be needed.

If you go straight for hearing aids you're bypassing the treatment that made irradicate the need for a child to wear a hearing aid. I had grommets in 12 years ago, could hear fine after that

secret we too went straight for grommets and we would do so again. I do think that maybe whilst they wait for the grommets that hearing aids may be useful. However, as DCs with glue ear have hearing that fluctuates it might be hard to get the best out of aids without returning to the audiology department each week to adjust them.

My DC is now 18 and at that time there was no such an emphasis on wait and see if it clears up by itself. Is there a financial cost that is considered here in addition to having the child's best interests at heart. IMO the longer you wait for glue ear to clear up the longer your DC is missing out on things at school or nursery.

What is the cost of grommets versus hearing aids? Or does that make me a cynic to even ask the question.