Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

[Guest guest]

dairy and soy could be the culprits here.

[Guest guest]

We tried diet, cranial sacral and herbs, nothing resolved Kuba's glue ear. I

wish we did the operation earlier A LOT of symptoms went a few months after the

operation, when our son actually realised he could hear! Glue ears are huge

problem for proper auditory processing, sensory processing and behaviour. We

went to a homoeopath for before and after pills and he was fine.

Kasia

PM me if you would like more info.

>

> Dear All,

> has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children

and would you have any advice?

> I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even

less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> help!

>

[Guest guest]

Just a query. Did you eliminate all dairy products entirely? To: Autism-Biomedical-Europe Sent: Wednesday, 6 June 2012, 17:53 Subject: Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

We tried diet, cranial sacral and herbs, nothing resolved Kuba's glue ear. I wish we did the operation earlier A LOT of symptoms went a few months after the operation, when our son actually realised he could hear! Glue ears are huge problem for proper auditory processing, sensory processing and behaviour. We went to a homoeopath for before and after pills and he was fine.

Kasia

PM me if you would like more info.

>

> Dear All,

> has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> help!

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, we all started gf/cf diet when Kuba was 3.5, I always cook at home, so

there was no milk in anything (we made nut milks at home and only got Genius

bread from shops). We also did the cranial sacral therapy for 6 months once a

week- helped with sensitivities (washing/cutting hair) but got glue ear. Kuba

had his operation just before turning 5, his surgeron said that his ears were

packed of glue.

Kasia

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children

and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and

even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

OK, just wondering abut what might cause it. I notice always when I drink cow's milk in my tea ( which is very rare these days), my ears get very waxy and itchy. I found something on this years ago which seemed a likely explanation. Must look again in my files......J To: Autism-Biomedical-Europe Sent:

Wednesday, 6 June 2012, 22:34 Subject: Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

Yes, we all started gf/cf diet when Kuba was 3.5, I always cook at home, so there was no milk in anything (we made nut milks at home and only got Genius bread from shops). We also did the cranial sacral therapy for 6 months once a week- helped with sensitivities (washing/cutting hair) but got glue ear. Kuba had his operation just before turning 5, his surgeron said that his ears were packed of glue.

Kasia

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Yes- he has been dairy-free for at least two years and although

the number of ear infections has gone down, the glue ear will not clear up; our

cranial osteopath reckons it is down to his eustachian tubes being narrower or

compressed...

All in all if we get the grommets fitted, he is going to be in the same

situation once they come out...a temporary fix IMHO

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children

and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and

even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I suspect this suggestion is too late given the age of your child but a friend, who is an acupuncturist, used acupuncture on her son who has downs who had narrow tubes . This will sound mad but it worked on him. The acupuncture over time raised his ears as apparently ears are typically set low on the head in Downs. This meant even though the tubes were narrow they were at a good angle for drainage. I think he has had some dairy food but she has always limited it because she was aware of hte potential difficulties.

Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

Hi ,

Yes- he has been dairy-free for at least two years and although

the number of ear infections has gone down, the glue ear will not clear up; our cranial osteopath reckons it is down to his eustachian tubes being narrower or compressed...

All in all if we get the grommets fitted, he is going to be in the same situation once they come out...a temporary fix IMHO

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I've never really had a satisfactory explanation of glue ear. Is the sticky substance maybe a build-up of white blood cells? Or maybe hypersecretion of the the glands of the hair cells? Does the glue ear occur in children who also sweat a lot? Is the earway tract like the intestinal tract ie. semi-permeable? I know when the intestinal tract is more permeable, the blood brain barrier also becomes more permeable, presumably via the same underlying problem. Maybe the earway tract is just as susceptible? Vitamin A tightens junctions in the gut wall....and we know these kids are low in Vitamin A. Just some ideas...... To: Autism-Biomedical-Europe Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 7:53 Subject: Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

Hi ,

Yes- he has been dairy-free for at least two years and although

the number of ear infections has gone down, the glue ear will not clear up; our cranial osteopath reckons it is down to his eustachian tubes being narrower or compressed...

All in all if we get the grommets fitted, he is going to be in the same situation once they come out...a temporary fix IMHO

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

You mean raised the outside ears so they were slightly higher or the inside of the ear was raised, the canals? That's fascinating. To: Autism-Biomedical-Europe Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 8:07 Subject: Re: Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

I suspect this suggestion is too late given the age of your child but a friend, who is an acupuncturist, used acupuncture on her son who has downs who had narrow tubes . This will sound mad but it worked on him. The acupuncture over time raised his ears as apparently ears are typically set low on the head in Downs. This meant even though the tubes were narrow they were at a good angle for drainage. I think he has had some dairy food but she has always limited it because she was aware of hte potential difficulties.

Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

Hi ,

Yes- he has been dairy-free for at least two years and although

the number of ear infections has gone down, the glue ear will not clear up; our cranial osteopath reckons it is down to his eustachian tubes being narrower or compressed...

All in all if we get the grommets fitted, he is going to be in the same situation once they come out...a temporary fix IMHO

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I know someone who didn't get grommets fitted in the case of their child with

glue ear. The child had very delayed langauge because they were basically deaf.

The child is now grown up and has a lot of emotional and behavioural problems

and I do wonder whether the childhood deafness was causative, at least in part.

Deaf people are at increased risk of mental illness.

Margaret

> > >

> > > Dear All,

> > > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their

children and would you have any advice?

> > > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and

even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > > help!

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

As I understand it the treatment raised the position of the ears externally which meant that the canals internally sloped downwards for better drainage

Re: Glue ear and Grommets-alternatives?

Hi ,

Yes- he has been dairy-free for at least two years and although

the number of ear infections has gone down, the glue ear will not clear up; our cranial osteopath reckons it is down to his eustachian tubes being narrower or compressed...

All in all if we get the grommets fitted, he is going to be in the same situation once they come out...a temporary fix IMHO

> >

> > Dear All,

> > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > help!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

That can be a soy issue as well. Soy can congest my tubes.

[Guest guest]

Interesting point margaret. My mum had a myrangotomy when she was little. She has severe behavioural problems. I had speech delay between the ages of 2.5 and 3 they picked up overly formal language but didnt detect my asd then. Grr

 I know someone who didn't get grommets fitted in the case of their child with glue ear. The child had very delayed langauge because they were basically deaf. The child is now grown up and has a lot of emotional and behavioural problems and I do wonder whether the childhood deafness was causative, at least in part. Deaf people are at increased risk of mental illness.

Margaret

> > >

> > > Dear All,

> > > has anyone gone through the glue ear/grommets operation with their children and would you have any advice?

> > > I am not particularly keen on the procedure (anesthesia in particular)and even less so on the post op nearly-inevitable regression ...

> > > help!

> > >

> >

>

------------------------------------

DISCLAIMER

No information contained in this post is to be construed as medical advice. If you need medical advice, please seek it from a suitably qualified practitioner.

[Guest guest]

My child had grommets inserted and two and a half years on I still regret such a stupid decision.There are other, gentler ways to eliminate glue while the ears develop enough to be able to get rid of it naturally.

Try cranio-sacral therapy, homeopathy, anything but not a totally useless and damaging operation. The aftermath of it was really painful for my little one. He reacted very badly to the anesthesia and cried incessantly and inconsolably for the following three months...what a terrible time for us both...moreover, I had to stop taking him swimming, which was his favorite thing ever...he had been swimming underwater since he was three months old but after the damn grommets ( he was 28 months old at the time)  he stopped and now he is scared and at nearly five he cannot swim. Furthermore,  only one grommet came out naturally ( after over two years). The other one is still in situ and will probably need to be soon removed...we went to a famous harley st ENT consultant and to the Portland...I'm still furious at the incompetence and superficiality of the  medical advice we received. For them it is a business. I so much wished I knew better and spared my son so much unnecessary pain. 

 

[Guest guest]

Thank you for posting this.  My son has glue ear and grommets have been recommended.  We have resisted so far mainly as we want to avoid anaesthetic. In addition to risk of GA in autism his dad has reacted badly twice so this has worried us.  I have felt quite guity wondering if I have made the right decision as his speech sounds are poor.  We don't know for definite his speech sounds are just due to glue ear or how often the glue is there or if it is clearing at times.

He had a test that showed glue ear, grommets recommended but we said no.  Instead he was offered hearing aids.  We went for what I thought was the fitting and were seen by a paediatric audiologist who did a hearing test again.  Hearing was slightly low but nothing like previous one 2 weeks earlier (which was 50%) and was at level they would normally discharge from service.

I think he has auditory processing problem and we are seeing a specialist for this, he has done TLP and there has been an improvement.For now he is been monitored by audiologist.

Have you seen any improvements from the grommets?BWAlison R

 

My child had grommets inserted and two and a half years on I still regret such a stupid decision.There are other, gentler ways to eliminate glue while the ears develop enough to be able to get rid of it naturally.

Try cranio-sacral therapy, homeopathy, anything but not a totally useless and damaging operation. The aftermath of it was really painful for my little one. He reacted very badly to the anesthesia and cried incessantly and inconsolably for the following three months...what a terrible time for us both...moreover, I had to stop taking him swimming, which was his favorite thing ever...he had been swimming underwater since he was three months old but after the damn grommets ( he was 28 months old at the time)  he stopped and now he is scared and at nearly five he cannot swim. Furthermore,  only one grommet came out naturally ( after over two years). The other one is still in situ and will probably need to be soon removed...we went to a famous harley st ENT consultant and to the Portland...I'm still furious at the incompetence and superficiality of the  medical advice we received. For them it is a business. I so much wished I knew better and spared my son so much unnecessary pain. 

 

[Guest guest]

" There are other, gentler ways to eliminate glue while the ears develop enough

to be able to get rid of it naturally "

That starts at about age 7 when unfortunately the crucial time for speech

development is finished and language learning becomes much more difficult. Glue

ear may be possible to eliminate by cranial sacral and other natural methods at

the beginning, but unfortunately most kids are diagnosed when they had it for a

while. At this point the glue is usually so tick that it is not going to be

absorbed. I am sorry that your son had such a horrible experience with grommets,

it sounds like the procedure wasn't done correctly, grommets should not be

painful. We don't go to swimming pools as we avoid chlorine but my son was able

to swim in the sea wearing ear putty and ear-bandit

(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EAR-BANDIT-HEADBAND-PUTTY-BUDDIES-EAR-PLUGS-SWIMMING-\

/320928097874?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3 & var= & hash=item4ab8ce2652) without any

accidents.

We contacted a number of top specialists in the UK, because we were very worried

about anaesthetic since Kuba had already 2 the previous year. Camila (one

of the top specialists in auditory processing), Auditory Verbal charity, Jo

White from Queen Margaret University, Peer who wrote the Glue Ear book

and a doctor from Great Ormond Hospital who's name I don't remember now. The

agreement was that a child can not process and learn language properly even with

a small hearing loss of about 20 decibels. An adult who has acquired language

skills before hearing loss is able to compensate and fill in the gaps for

sounds/ words he can not hear but a child who is in the process of learning

language does not have this ability. This is an excellent example how people

with APD hear: http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/ladle/index.html.

Again you as a parent need to make the decision what's best for your child and I

was also very worried about the anaesthetics. We however had homoeopathic

medicine given just before the operation and strait after, we also went for 3

HBOs to detox anaesthetics and speed the healing of the ear drums.

Kasia

[Guest guest]

I agree with Kasia. My son had almost continuous ear infections for about 6

months when we decided to go ahead with grommets. It was one of the best things

we did for him. He was pretty much completely deaf when he had surgery (not

great when you're non verbal to start with) and extremely sick. He had multiple

courses of antibiotics in that time, he was in such a bad way. We had custom

made ear plugs made and he wore them and an ear bandit for showers. We did

avoid swimming for about a year because we were told it is really important to

keep the canals dry, otherwise they are more likely not to work and/or have to

get them done again. There was no way that cranial osteopathy would have been

able to fix him by that time, he was too far gone. He also had an adenoidectomy

at the same time, which really helped with his breathing. Maybe if you start

treating ear infections when they first start you can treat with more natural

methods, but I didn't know about them at the time, which is why I just kept

giving him more antibiotics and making him worse.

>

> " There are other, gentler ways to eliminate glue while the ears develop enough

to be able to get rid of it naturally "

>

> That starts at about age 7 when unfortunately the crucial time for speech

development is finished and language learning becomes much more difficult. Glue

ear may be possible to eliminate by cranial sacral and other natural methods at

the beginning, but unfortunately most kids are diagnosed when they had it for a

while. At this point the glue is usually so tick that it is not going to be

absorbed. I am sorry that your son had such a horrible experience with grommets,

it sounds like the procedure wasn't done correctly, grommets should not be

painful. We don't go to swimming pools as we avoid chlorine but my son was able

to swim in the sea wearing ear putty and ear-bandit

(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EAR-BANDIT-HEADBAND-PUTTY-BUDDIES-EAR-PLUGS-SWIMMING-\

/320928097874?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3 & var= & hash=item4ab8ce2652) without any

accidents.

> We contacted a number of top specialists in the UK, because we were very

worried about anaesthetic since Kuba had already 2 the previous year. Camila

(one of the top specialists in auditory processing), Auditory Verbal

charity, Jo White from Queen Margaret University, Peer who wrote the

Glue Ear book and a doctor from Great Ormond Hospital who's name I don't

remember now. The agreement was that a child can not process and learn language

properly even with a small hearing loss of about 20 decibels. An adult who has

acquired language skills before hearing loss is able to compensate and fill in

the gaps for sounds/ words he can not hear but a child who is in the process of

learning language does not have this ability. This is an excellent example how

people with APD hear: http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/ladle/index.html.

> Again you as a parent need to make the decision what's best for your child and

I was also very worried about the anaesthetics. We however had homoeopathic

medicine given just before the operation and strait after, we also went for 3

HBOs to detox anaesthetics and speed the healing of the ear drums.

> Kasia

>