Follow-up appts for grommets

[PDR]

DS had grommets put in last August. We had this done privately in London as the NHS would not look at him until he was 3yrs old (he was 2 at the time) and his S&L development was suffering.

Our insurance has covered everything so far including the 6 month check up and hearing test which he just had.

He's not had any complications at all - hearing is now perfect, speech is coming on and no infections or anything.

The insurance company are now saying they have done their bit and will not be paying for any more check-ups (fair enough) unless something changes.

The consultant wants to see him every 6 months until the grommets fall out - her fee is £170 and the hospital fees for the hearing test are £200. As these are negotiates fees with our insurer they may well be more for self-pay patients. As we don't live in London it costs us aprox £400 for 1 nights hotel / petrol / meals out etc.

I think that if you have grommets on the NHS you get the 6 month check up but if all is well that's it.

Would it be awful if I cancelled our appointment for July now our insurance is not covering the bills?

If he got an acute infection or anything urgent he'd have to be seen on the NHS anyway as we live 200 miles fron London.

Hi my son had grommets when he was 17 months old on the NHS. He had no check up appoinment. He did have repeat hearing tests but that was onky because HV was concered about him. Also he is now 4 and his gromments are only just started to fall out.

Sorryposted to soon. I think if everything is ok and you are not worried about him then i would leave it . It has done my son no harm not having check ups. I sometimes they only say it to make more money.

Thank you cedmonds that's most helpful - I am pretty sure if I have any concerns I could always ask my HV to refer him for a hearing test down here anyway. They are referring him for S&L therapy on the NHS to commence once he is 3 as well so any problems should be picked up quickly.

I didn't think the NHS would be doing routine check-ups every 6 months on perfectly healthy children!

DD1 had grommets aged 7 - one fell out last summer - 5 years after op.
DD2 just had second set of grommets inserted after third 6 monthly hearing test showed significant hearing loss.
Neither had ear infections after grommets were inserted.
Obviously every child is different but kids quickly learn to adjust to things like hearing loss so it's difficult to tell how poor or good their hearing is without regular audiology checks.
Not worth taking the rist IMO but then I live in Scotland so health system a bit different.

My dd had grommets done in sept, on nhs. No check-up is now done in our PCT, only hearing test after 3 months. Routine appt is 12mo after op.

fivesacrowd so are you going every 6 months?

CaptainNancy do you know what happens after 12 months?

We have been to two check ups - one 6 weeks post-op and one 6 months post-op - both fine.

I think I will speak to the HV about what is actually offered on the NHS in my area. DS may be able to attend regular hearing tests at our local hospital even though he had the actual operation privately.

If all is well, she is discharged. If she needs them refitting, they'll di that.

CN thank you for that - I think that's what our hospital policy would be TBH. There is only one ENT surgeon who carries out the ops so I really can't see them seeing children every 6 months unless there is a problem. I will ask HV about hearing tests though as I am seeing her on Monday anyway.
I doubt it will be a problem to get him seen on the NHS now as he will be 3 soon when they would have seen him anyway.

Was checked after 3 months then six monthly was about to be signed off 18 months after op when they noticed slight deterioration so checked again and found to be really poor so grommets redone. Depends on consultant - ours wanted to check regularly cos it can change seasonally apparently.
DD1 was done privately because waiting list was 6 - 9 months then. No follow up test done but had number for NHS clinic so they would fast track her if we'd concerns about her hearing. Just as well they didn't want to check til they fell out or we'd be bankrupt by now.
My DD both a lot older when they had them done than your child so it's easier to tell if they can't hear properly - still we'd no idea how bad DD2's hearing had got. Her ear drums were getting sucked so far back they were sitting on the hearing bones - bleuch!
As a very wise paediatric consultant once said to me - trust your judgement as their mum cos no one knows your child like you do.

Thank you five that's very helpful - also good to know the NHS still wanted to know you after your DD1 had the op privately. I'm not sure we want to be paying out for the next 5 years if they stay in for that long let alone the time it takes to travel to London and back!

I would make sure to get checkups done.
I had them put in age 3 (lots of ENT problems, have cleft lip/palette)When I was 16 I was having two weekly hearing tests because my hearing was only 20% in right ear, uncountable ear infections, lots of people looking in my ears...fast forward to age 19, my ears were feeling REALLY blocked one day so I thought 'sod it' and stuck the curved end of a bobby pin in there (not advisable really!) pulled out a massive bit of wax and lo and behold, it contained the grommet. Still there 16 years later.

16 years! Bloody hell ednurse am going to try and get referred back to the NHS. No idea what their policy is on routine check-ups but they should have all DS's notes already as private consultant always sends both GP and local NHS consultant a copy of her reports.

wht does having grommetts involve?

DS having recurring infectionsin his ear, and falling over alot.

DD had hers done privately too (we were told we'd have to wait 18mth to 2 yrs to be seen on the NHS.)

After about a year, our insurance company tried to do the same thing, but our consultant - bless him - said they were just trying it on, that in fact if the grommets are still in, and there is a need for check ups to check on variation on fluid levels, hearing etc, then check ups were part of the treatment.

Hers have now come out naturally (she had them in just over the recommended/average time) so it isn't an issue now.

Might be worth just talking to your consultant. She won't want to lose you as a patient any more than you want to give her up. I'm sure you will word it to the insurance however it needs to be.

Edgar ask for your DS to be referred to audiology and they will do a hearing test to check for Glue Ear. It's a very simple procedure - 15 mins in theatre under GA. We have had no problems (so far touch wood)!

mustdash that's very interesting! The insurance are saying that once it becomes a long term condition (it would seem 6 months is classed as long term ) it is no longer covered. Also that they do not cover "routine" check-ups but if he gets an infections / they need removing / something changes etc then they will cover that. I will try and get him seen locally first I think just becuase it's a PITA going to London every 6 months. We didn't "go private" becuase it was a better service really just becuase like you said they would not see him for 12-18 months and we didn't want his S&L to be delayed any further.

Captain, fives and ednurse can I just ask one last thing - when you go for the check up is it just a hearing test at Audiology or do you see the consultant as well (assuming there are no problems and hearing is 20:20)?

Our after-op check-up was purely audiology- our PCT have just changed policy (the week of her op ) to have no consultant check-up unless problems. You have the hearing test, and if all fine, nothing until 12 month follow-up.

Edgar- your GP can refer you to audiology... DD had many many infections, and her hearing was noticeably down.

I cannot believe these waiting times- just horrific! We had first hearing test just a few weeks after seeing GP (maybe because audiology are based out in Child Development Centres in our PCT?) then follow-up hearing test 3 mo later (because hearing was sub-normal, but she'd just had a burst eardrum and infection), then 6-8 weeks wait to see consultant, then 3.5 mo wait to op.

Captain in our area it's a case of them not touching children under 3 in case it goes away by itself... perhaps linked to the fact that there is only one consultant doing the ops I think once you turn 3 and the problem persists they see you pretty quickly.

Always have touched base with consultant or their specialist registrar regardless of hearing test results.

Ds#3 had grommets at 20 months. Made such a difference. Before he had ear infections roughly every 2 weeks since 2/3 months and 2 since until they fell out. He has appointments every 6 months until last appointment when both grommets had fallen out and they moved the next appointment to 4 months to see if he needs them again. Going next week, hopefully he won't need them again, but I suspect he might as he's had 2 burst ear drums in that time. This was on the NHS and the waiting is similar to Captains.

I have spoken to HV who said it's no problem to continue his aftercare at our local NHS hospital. She has referred him to audiology so we'll take it from there. He's not due a check up till July anyway so I'm sure they'll see him by then. HV didnt know what the situation is re regular check ups though so we'll have to wait and see what is actually offered in our area.