March 19, 2013

An ENT Appointment

After all the craziness that February brought us (you can read about that here, here and here)...we weren't sure what to expect this past Friday when we took Owen back over to Children's to meet with an ENT.

The appointment went great and I loved the doctor we saw.  Based on this appointment we learned that most kids go through some version of back to back illness at some point in their childhood while their immune system strengthens and matures.  Of course not all of them require blood work and scaring the bageezes out of everyone...that one was reserved just for Owen!  We also learned that kids all outgrow this phase.  Some do it at an younger age.  Others take a little longer. Also, interesting to learn that runny noses in kids are the body's way of saying your immune system is immature.  He said we have two options:

Option 1: Surgery to implant tubes and remove his adnoids.  This option would certainly stop the ear infections, but there was no guarantee on the sinus infections/congestion.

Option 2: Wait 3 or 4 months and reevaluate how these next few months go with colds and infections etc.

Both options are completely reasonable.  The doctor said the prolonged fever is one that concerned him, but it may be the only time in Owen's life we deal with something like that...and due to the fact that this is his first full year of time spent in a daily preschool setting, we may very well chalk it up to a rough winter and new exposures. Sooo...with all that in  mind....what did we decide??

Well, it didn't take Jeremy and I much thinking to decide to give it a few months.  While I NEVER EVER want to go back to what we experienced in February, I'm prayerfully hoping that it won't be something that needs surgery.  I feel like if he ends up more infections over the next couple of months, we will have our answer and surgery will be scheduled!  If not, we'll save him a procedure and all that those things entale!

So that is the scoop on Owen's ENT visit! 

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