Gromits!! Are they worth it??

[koolaroo]

My 5 year old son has had problems with his speech and up untill last year has struggled. I pushed for him to have a hearing test and they have said he has "glue ear". After waiting another 6 months to see if it improved the doctor has now decided he should have Gromits put in.
Im all for helping him but his speech is now great and he dosent seem to have any problems with his hearing, apart from hearing loud noises (jets, fireworks,alarms) they freak him out and after reading the leaflet that came from the hospital about gromits, I have learned that they dont always stay in and that they arnt really necessary as glue ear usually clears up when they are a little older.
Im now in 2 minds whether to put him through this??
He is REALLY BAD at taking any medicine and the thought of them putting him to sleep is just a nightmare, I know its only a small operation and if it will benefit him im all for it im just trying to weigh up pro's and con's so any input is welcome??

The NHS don't do anything unless it's necessary. They would have assessed his hearing and deemed it necessary for him. Gromits do fall out after 6 months but hopefully in this 6 months he would have grown sufficiently enough to not need them in again.

Agree wholeheartedly with Belle, our dd had them put in in December and her hearing has improved incredibly. Her speech was suffering but that has rectified itself too.

Glue ear can have an effect on hearing speech sounds, too, subtle discrimination of sounds. That can have a knock-on effect on phonological development and hence reading and spelling skills.

My dd had grommets fitted age 4, (6 months ago). It has transformed her school life. She enjoys everything and understands what's going on, rather than coming out of school a bit bewildered looking. Her behaviour at home has improved significantly - she does as she's told now because she can hear what she's being asked to do! She used to get a bit hyper and silly, but this has calmed down a lot. She used to play a lot in a little world of her own - now she's popular and plays interactively with lots of children.

I agonised over the general anaesthetic - put the whole thing off for a year to try alternative therapies, diet etc but now I can honestly say I don't regret putting her through it at all. Her grommets haven't fallen out (I was told they'd last a year to 18 months) and she's had no ear infections, still goes swimming etc. From my experience with grommets I can highly recommend them. Good luck.

Made a huge difference to both DD's

I'd do it in a heartbeat. I spent most of my school life unable to hear just quite properly. It's hard to explain just how excluding an apparently minor issue can be. I couldn't hear male teachers properly (bass tones in voices) and always had to choose to sit at the front so that I would catch everything. I had my first set of grommets fitted at 20 years old and it was as if the world opened up to me. If I'd have had them at school I'm sure things would have felt very different. Glue ear doesn't always clear up by itself, as I know to my cost, so anything you can do to help your son in the meantime should be seriously considered. Do you know the extent of his hearing loss? By the time I reached 20yrs old I'd lost 50% of my hearing in both ears because of thicking fluid and build up. That could have been stopped 10 years earlier if someone had just noticed and acted. Even my GP didn't pick up on the fact that 4 ear infections a year is not normal and that on a daily basis I had to have the tv or radio at a level uncomfortable for anyone else.

Can you ring the ENT dept at the hospital and ask to talk to somone in greater depth? I really do think that the pros outweigh the cons by a very considerable margin.

The NHS are generally reticent to offer grommets so there must be a genuine need. For us, grommets have created a dramatic and miraculous improvement on all our lives. I'd go for it if I were you. General anasthetic aside, it's a very straight forward op.

My DS had terrible ear infections as a result of persistent glue ear. We were all miserable and at our wits end. Eventually the ENT consultant begruddingly agreed to grommets and came out of the op saying there was so much fluid in there that it twice as long as expected to drain the ear! Our lives completely turned around... and DS was only 11 months! A bit early to tell about the impact on language. But he was SO much happier in general. Problem is, 3 months on and they've fallen out (I think they fall out more when they're younger and growing quicker). He's now 14 months and has no words to use. I wonder if it's because of his hearing? Plus, the same old problems of irritability are coming back so I'm gunning to get the grommets put in again.

Thanx for all the replies guys. I am going to go ahead with Grommits. Looking at Runoutof ideas post it has helped make me decide because his behaviour sounds a lot like your dd's was, he really is in a world of his own and I never considered it being the hearing (he has had other probs). Funnily enough he has NEVER had an ear infection but has struggled with a lot so if Grommets will improve that then I will go ahead. Sparkle, thanx for your comments, I really have had a complete change of heart after reading the replies.
To be honest, he was supposed to be having Grommits fitted today!! But he was due to fly to Spain with my mum 2 weeks ago to stay with her.The volcano air space ban put a hold on it so had to change appointment...they are due to fly in the morning and his new appointment for grommets is in a weeks time........and they are restricting flights again.....beginning to wonder if its a sign??

Koolaroo - I really think you are making the right decision. Feel free to message me again if I can help, or answer any queries for you. Best of luck.

So has his hearing not improved at all aover the last 6 months? Was a hearing test done very recently?

If he hasn't one for a while, ask for another test first. Grommets weren't that wonderful for dd2

my dd (6.5) has recently been recommended for grommets. We're now waiting for the appointment. She's had problems with glue ear on and off since she was 3 - hard to say if this is the only thing affecting her school life, but she's always been behind her peers both socially and academically. Her speech is still not what it should be. They will give her another hearing test just before the op though, that's what we've been told anyway.

koolaroo my dd sounds very like your ds re loud noises too - she hates hand dryers in public loos, for example. She's also often in a world of her own! I'm never sure how much of this is just 'her'.
They are taking out dd's adenoids as well. They did mention tonsils also but as she doesn't get tonsilitis, I'm going to ask that they leave those alone.

My DD had grommets and adenoids done a year ago, age 5. I have not noticed any great improvement in her and in fact she now constantly suffers ear infections whereas she never had them before. She does swim alot, only found out recently that the hospital do custom made ear plugs and since we had these things have improved alot.

Both DS had this done.

I had my adenoids and grommets done last year (apparently it can be heriditary) - it truly has transformed my life.

Not only can I hear better but I can breathe through my nose and - wonder of wonders - I don't get hayfever any more.

Glad you've decided to go for it!