No ear tubes for this guy

We finally had ourselves mentally prepared for what we thought the ENT doctor was going to say about Kaden's ears (9 ear infections in about 12 months), so we were very surprised when we were told he was not a candidate for tubes.

 

I wasn't able to get more than this picture, because going to the doctor nowadays is torture... for all of us.  Kaden hates (strong word, I know... but very true in this case) doctors' visits!

(this was in the waiting room, before he actually knew where we were :/)

 

First, he had a hearing test and passed with minimal hearing loss (typical for a child his age).  Then, the doctor looked in his ears and said his ears looked great... not red, not inflamed, no fluid!!  We talked him through what the last year has been like for Kaden.  He wasn't quick to tell us anything about tubes, but instead looked at his ear again with another instrument.  And again... told us everything looked good (this all happened while restraining our child... told you he hated it).  He explained that the 9 infections that he's had could have actually be 2 or 3 looong infections that never went away.  He said sometimes it takes an ear infection 3 months to go away and often times ear infections are mistreated with antibiotics when that is not the answer.

 

So ultimately, he said he doesn't feel that Kaden is a candidate for tubes.... at this time.  However, he wants to be Kaden's primary doctor right now.  So next time he starts to have symptoms of sickness, specifically an ear infection, we need to take him to the ENT.  He wants to see his ears and learn more about them for himself. 

 

So... we will see how things go.  At this time, we feel good about the decision.