Adenoid removal improves hearing?

[DisneyBugs]

I just learned my DS/7 needs tubes put in his ears, and also needs his adenoids removed.
The specialist believes this will help him hear better (we’ve noticed if you talk slightly softer than normal, he can’t hear you). They tested behind the eardrum, and hearing is fine, but in front of it he has decreased hearing.

I know this guy’s a specialist, but I still have concerns (and questions I have not had the opportunity to ask yet b/c 1) my husband took DS to the specialist today, and 2) we just found this out a couple of hours ago). But in the last 2 hours, I have not read anywhere online that removal of the adenoids does in fact improve hearing. Does anyone have any experience with this, &/or – is there a doctor in the house who can put my mind at ease?? I'm very queazy when it comes to anything medical...

 

[CathrynRose]

Im not a DR - not did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night....

However - I had my tonsils and adnoids removed at age 13, and the improvement of breathing ALONE, was amazing. I also stopped getting ear infections (and I got them constantly) after the procedure - so I could see where it could effect hearing being better (although I dont 'remember' that happening, but this was a long time ago)

It was honestly, for me, the best decision to make. I was constantly - and I mean CONSTANTLY stuffy.

I dont know if this helps you at all, but

 

[DisneyBugs]

Im not a DR - not did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night....

However - I had my tonsils and adnoids removed at age 13, and the improvement of breathing ALONE, was amazing. I also stopped getting ear infections (and I got them constantly) after the procedure - so I could see where it could effect hearing being better (although I dont 'remember' that happening, but this was a long time ago)

It was honestly, for me, the best decision to make. I was constantly - and I mean CONSTANTLY stuffy.

I dont know if this helps you at all, but

Thank you for sharing your experience and also for the hug C-Rose!! I feel more confident now that he will benefit.
Yes, my son tends to sound like he has a stuffy nose, but never does.
Do you remember how long it took you to recover?

 

[CathrynRose]

Thank you for sharing your experience and also for the hug C-Rose!! I feel more confident now that he will benefit.
Yes, my son tends to sound like he has a stuffy nose, but never does.
Do you remember how long it took you to recover?

I do remember that.

Remember though - mine was tonsils too - I dont know if your boy would be having this done as well....

Ummm - I remember reading about eating ice cream and jello all day long. And being like 'woo hoo! Im on board!' Good luck. The 'scab' on your throat was so 'thick' that you couldnt really swallow. Not that it 'hurt' to swallow - but you just couldnt get anything past it. Does that make sense? It seemed like more trouble then it was worth.

Hurt wasnt the issue. The swallowing was more of an issue. I just couldnt swallow good. It felt like a scratchy, stuffy, post nasal drip throat - and it was hard to open your mouth too. It was more really uncomfortable, more than anything else.

I'd say a good week was super sucky, and it slowly got better from there.

 

[LisaNJ25]

My 2yo son had his tonsils and adenoids removed and ear tubes put in October. He had no prior problems before April 07 when he got a cold, tonsils got enlarged and they never went down. After that he had fluid in his ears that affected his hearing.

I do know he has a very high voice now.. The dr said that would be a side effect

But to answer your question I dont know about the hearing.. I thought the tonsils and adenoids went along with each other and the tubes were for the hearing problem.

 

[CathrynRose]

Yeah - what if you tried the tubes - first? Maybe that would help enough???

 

[Mickey1974]

My daughter had her tonsils and adnoids removed at age 3. Prior to that she had golf ball sized tonsils (no lie) in her throat. She constantly had ear infections, snored louder than a thunder storm and the two combined cause pressure on her ear drums and made it harder for her to hear. There was talk of putting tubes in her ears but after the surgery she stopped snoring and hasn't had an ear infection since...she's almost 10 now. So we never did the tubes. Docs also say that when kids are younger they recover quicker than adults do with this type of surgery. My daughter was better within a week and a half. Everyone's different though.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

My Dd had the same issue. She had constant tonsilitus, so they removed those and adenoids and put in tubes.
Her hearing before surgery was so diminished, she was missing the pronunciation of many words.
Things like "concreep" instead of concrete and "woodchucks" instead of woodchips.

Her hearing improved 100% after the surgery and recovery was quick.
She doesn't get sick nearly as often.

Don't worry, it's such a routine surgery. And done with lasers in most cases, which helps with the recovery time.

 

[cabanafrau]

I never heard they're doing this with lasers now. Is the healing quicker?

 

[funnygarcia]

My DS had repeated ear infections starting at age 3 mos, he had tubes and continued to have diminished hearing (due to scar tissue and fluid). Finally they took out JUST the adenoids and placed one more set of tubes at age 4... no more ear infections after the surgery

He is now 12 yrs old, speech is fine-- has very slightloss of hearing but he has lots of scarring from repeat tubes and all the ear infections.

Adenoidectomy is not as harsh on the throat as a tonsilectomy. Day surgery and stayed home one day from preschool, he wanted to go back right away.

Minor sore throat pain, stock up on popsicles.

 

[lsyorke]

Been there, done that! DS(now 20) was our ear nightmare child. Tubes 5 times, adenoidectomy, then tonsillectomy(done separate from the adenoids since he never had tonsillitis until later), and finally mastoidectomy all before the age of 3. Adenoids can encroach on the airway causing snoring, but more important it can compress the eustachian tube, which drains fluid from the inner ear, resulting in fluid back up.

The combination of removing the adenoids in combination with tubes should help considerably. The adenoidectomy was the easiest of the surgeries he had. In DS's case his doctors went so long denying the problem that he ended up with mastoiditis and had further surgery. His hearing post adenoidectomy was GREATLY improved.

 

[tiggger1]

My son just got tubes in his ears this morning! One of his ears has what they call glue ear ( a thick maple syrup like liquid) He definitely had a hearing loss. It is amazing how much more he is already hearing and talking...well blabbering mostly but he is definitely trying to answer us....

 

[Planogirl]

DS had ear infections almost steadily for a couple of years until a specialist removed a large portion of his adenoids. It was hard to tell if the adenoids themselves affected his hearing since his ears were so badly infected. The infections stopped instantly.

 

[Sandy321]

My sons have hearing loss (now 22, 20)

I have known that adenoid removal will improve hearing - esp if a doctor does the exam! My sons loss was due to a different complication - but we did see an ENT, and that was 18 years ago!! (not all hearing loss is due to fluid build up etc)

I worked in preschool and could always tell when a child needed help, or had a mild hearing loss - it just stands out to me... not as severe as when a deaf person (like Marlee Maitlen) talks, but there is a noticible inflection to me... most will improve when hearing improves...

if your auditory input is decreased, it is difficult to make up your speech...

I know how hard it is to trust doctors, and how expensive procedures are - but I truly believe his hearing will improve!

good luck!!

 

[DisneyBugs]

OMG... I wanted to quote and respond individually to EACH of you!! Thought it easier to just make a new reply.

I feel 110% better about this now. I hadn't realized so many kids had this.
I VERY MUCH appreciate your openness in explanations.

LOVE THE DISBoards ---don't know what I'd do without you all!!

 

[Allison]

My son is another one who had his adnoids removed to help with all the ear infections and such that were going on.

Unfortunately, with all his issues he has significant hearing loss but the surgery for the adnoids was a simple outpatient procedure and he only missed a day or two of school.

 

[sha_lyn]

YES....When DS was in preschool the teacher noticed he started having behavior problems right after an ear infection It was near the end of the yr and time for his screenings to enter K. He failed the hearing test and had another infection within a few days. Went to the ped who sent him to an ENT. When I told the pre-K teacher, we were able to trace back the behavior problems and realized he couldn't hear her most of the time after the infection. A few weeks later DS had his adenoids removed and tubes placed in his ears. It made a huge difference.

What happens is enlarged adenoids trap fluid behind the eardrum. the fluid may or may not become infected.

 

[donnajon]

DS was almost three when he had tubes put in and adenoids removed. The doctor told us that everything was going to sound a lot louder to him.

 

[Mizzbekababy]

Is the procedure to get the adeniods removed to improve hearing loss and infections newer?

 

[dreamn_Disney]

My friend has her 2yr old going in tomorrow for this kind of surgery. He has lost hearing to the point that even when you shout to him he doesn't hear you.

The doctor said the fluid in his ears can not drain properly and just tubes is not working. The doctor hopes this surgery along with new tubes will give him back some of his hearing.