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Original poster

DS is having grommets put in. What can I expect after the op?

21 replies

ghosty · 08/10/2005 22:16

DS has been diagnosed with glue ear. He is having grommets put in next week. I am not worried about it ... in fact I am looking forward to not having to repeat myself a hundred times a day!
But what can I expect from the anaesthetic? He had a GA when he was a very young baby but that was totally different ...
Will he be in pain when he wakes up? A friend's child goes bonkers after a GA ... is that normal? Will DS do the same?
Any advice appreciated

OP posts:

Aimsmum · 08/10/2005 22:20

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Aimsmum · 08/10/2005 22:21

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Original poster

ghosty · 08/10/2005 22:27

Thanks Aimsmum ... that is really helpful ...
DH will take the day off to look after DD so it will be just me with DS ....
Did your DD's grommets stay in for long? The doctor said they may fall out after a couple of months but that should be enough time to clear the fluid ...

OP posts:

Aimsmum · 08/10/2005 22:41

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kcemum · 08/10/2005 22:47

My DD had bi-lateral grommetts put in in April this year.
she was a little groggy and floppy in the recovery room but within 20 mins to half an hour she was up eating breakfast.

She had rectal analgesia whilst under the GA and later had a dose of paediatric paracetamol later that evening.

Her grommets are still in place and she's due to have a repeat hearing test in a few days as she has some residual hearing loss.

mymama · 09/10/2005 13:02

my dd had grommets at 18 months and my ds1 had them at 3 1/2 years old. The op only took about 15 mins and they both woke up straight away. No pain relief and home within 6 hours. Hardest part is the no eating beforehand and not even a sip of water for 2 hours after op. I bought a special toy each time and gave it to them once they were booked in and waiting for their op. Kept them very occupied beforehand and after. This was more to keep their minds of eating/drinking. We were told the grommets would be in a couple of months but dds were 12 months and my ds was about 10 months. They basically have to "grow" out with the ear. Other hard part is showering with ear plug and shower/swimming caps to keep water out of ears. Also need to be careful of sandpits etc as sand can fall into ears if kids are being silly throwing it around. hth

trefusis · 09/10/2005 13:13

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foxinsocks · 09/10/2005 13:15

I don't know where you're having it done but if it's on the NHS then be prepared to wait (just in case). We were on the day surgery list for the morning surgery - because dd happened to be the eldest, we had to wait until almost 11am before she was done. This was after not eating a thing after 10pm - she was also only allowed some water in the night.

If there's specific food you think ds will want, then take it with you (plus a big beaker full of his favourite squash/juice) for when they wake up.

Original poster

ghosty · 10/10/2005 01:18

Thanks for these replies ... they are really helpful. Good tip about the container with lid and wipes. As DS is nearly 6 I very rarely go out needing change of clothes and wipes if it is just him and me ...
Good point about stuff for me ... I will take a book/magazine ...
Foxinsocks we are in NZ and are having it done privately (under our health insurance policy). The lady at the hospital said that I must ring them on Thursday (the op is on Friday) to find out what time to be there. She said that DS won't be first on the list as they do babies and under 2s first.
I am not looking forward to the No Food thing. DS is always starving when he wakes up in the morning and cannot start the day without breakfast. He usually has his breakfast within 5 minutes of waking up.
I will get him a present to open when he wakes up and something yummy to eat ... presumably nothing to sickly as that may disagree with him after the GA?

OP posts:

bobbybob · 10/10/2005 04:07

A private hospital will probably give him an iceblock after ENT surgery. They gave me one and I'm in my thirties!

He could go a little strange afterwards if what I saw was anything to go by, but they don't remember it. He may not know who you are, but it won't last long.

trefusis · 10/10/2005 09:46

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LadyMarinaofSarfLondon · 10/10/2005 09:58

Good luck Ghosty and ds.
Like aimsmum's dd, my dd had a lot of perforated eardrums with effusion and grommets have been talked about. But lately touch wood she has been clear of them and we are hoping she might have outgrown this.
We have our next specialists' appointment in November so I have been reading these tips with interest.
Hope all goes well for him and you.

mamaoftwo · 10/10/2005 10:23

If you think you and your DS won't be too nervous, ask the anaesthetist if your DS can be given the gas without a pre-med sedation. My DS was the only one that day who didn't have it, and he bounced back SO much quicker than those who had. Some children were sleepy then groggy for a couple of hoours afterwards.

However, if you think he is likely to fight the gas mask/needle or be scared, it's probably worth putting up with a bit more groggyness afterwards to make it easier when he goes off to sleep.

Good luck!

foxinsocks · 10/10/2005 15:16

ghosty, I took plain sandwiches with me (I think one marmite, one jam) and an apple and a packet of crisps. We were told to bring plain food for them as the hospital was unlikely to have anything major (they only had biscuits and crisps on the day surgery ward at the hospital so I was quite pleased I'd brought sandwiches for dd!). You may get a letter from the hospital telling you what to bring otherwise call them because maybe they will provide food for him.

I don't know what anaesthetic they will use but dd had gas - the worst bit was undoubtedly holding her while she went limp when she was inhaling the gas. Dd was groggy when she got up and absolutely starving and thirsty but other than that she was fine. The little boy next to her woke up howling and it took a long time to calm him down but he was younger so I don't know if that makes a difference.

bobbybob · 12/10/2005 18:56

Has he had it done yet?

geogteach · 12/10/2005 19:24

My DS has had 2 lots in the last year and awaiting an opinion on whether he needs more. First time he was very sick (over him and me and the car) so maybe spare clothes for you too. Second time they gave him an anti nausea drug.
Both times he was out playing in the park in the afternoon. Starvation was definately the worst bit, my DS was still asking about the breakfast he missed 3 days later!

Original poster

ghosty · 12/10/2005 19:53

He has it done tomorrow Bobbybob ...
thanks again for the replies
The hospital sent this excellent book called Cameron Meets Grommet which explaind EXACTLY what will happen ... at the child's level. It is a story of a little boy who goes to the hospital (with photos), who he meets, what happens (needle in his hand but a sticky plaster makes it numb first, a mask that smells of strawberries, that he will be given jelly and ice cream when he is properly awake etc)... it is an excellent thing to do and DS isn't worried about it at all.

OP posts:

Aimsmum · 12/10/2005 20:00

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Original poster

ghosty · 14/10/2005 06:31

Well, he has had it done
We had to be at the hospital at 8am this morning which was a bit of a task seeing as we are way out of the city but never mind ... got there at 8.10, which wasn't too bad!
DS was really funny because he was excited about it. "I am so excited mummy, I have never had grommets before!" Bless
We had a bit of a wait but not too bad ... after being seen by the nurse who took his temp and weighed him and gave him some paracetamol we were called in at 9.15am. He just had gas and it was really freaky to see him go to sleep like that. When he had his op as a baby they wouldn't let the parents be present during the 'knock out'. It was so strange because it is so involuntary isn't it? He has no control over it. I had seen other mums come out before me crying but I was a brave girl and didn't cry . He went to sleep clutching his bear.
I had about 15 minutes to have a cup of tea and read a bit of the paper when the doctor came to say that it was done and he was fine. 5 minutes later they brought DS to me on a bed and he sat on my lap for half an hour or so having a cuddle. He was a hoot, he was actually drunk! He looked up at me with his eyes all over the place and a silly grin on his face telling me about his funny dream that he had (he had been on a volcano and had to jump over streams of lava!).
He then had an ice block and a drink and we were on our way home at 10.15am. Half way home we had to stop because he didn't feel very well ... he went really pale and looked terrible. He said his tummy hurt and his ears hurt and he felt sick. So he had a bit of fresh air before we drove home with the window open a bit.
Once home he was a bit tearful for about an hour but he loved the present I had given him (a transformer) so that kept him going while he watched a DVD.
At midday he suddenly revived and bounced into the kitchen demanding food. And he hasn't stopped eating since
I can tell already an improvement in his hearing. He hasn't said 'pardon' once today, since we got home, thank god ... it had been driving me nuts!
Anyway .... thanks for all your help guys, it is much appreciated!

OP posts:

bobbybob · 14/10/2005 08:24

What a great experience he made it, it sounds like an account of a trip to the zoo or something.

Good on him, what a huge difference a morning makes.

bigdonna · 14/10/2005 12:44

when i was a nanny the little girl i looked after had grommets put in she had day surgery,she went in ,in the morning and joined me in the park in the afternoon.tbh i thought this insencitive of mother but the child was very happy.so play it by ear "ha ha "

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