It firstly started with Lily getting Earache. Earache can be a big problem for kids, so a few times I had put it down to cold ears or just getting a little bunged up with a cold. But Lily started suffering with it often. It would come and go and she would have it one day and then have a few days without and then it would come back.
I did wonder if Lily was making it up at times, Children do have the tendency to do so. But it was when she started saying to me "Mummy, I can't hear the TV will you turn it up". That I knew that something wasn't right.
I had noticed that a lot of the time she was saying "what?" to me, and that from one room to another I would have to shout extra loud for me to hear her. But I did just wonder if that was just selective hearing. But the Tv was on loud when she asked for it to be turned up and with her again having earache I thought it was best I took her to the doctors.
First, it took me a WEEK to get a Dr's appointment.
I took her, waited past my scheduled time to go in to see the Doctor, for her to simply look into her ears and say, Yeah they are FULL of ear wax and blocked up, which explains her symptoms. She tells me "If Lily was an adult, I could send her to the other room to have her ears cleaned by a nurse, but as she is a Child, I have to refer her to a special clinic. I was told I would get a letter in the post telling me how to book an appointment.
So, one week of waiting, to then have to wait longer.
ONE WEEK later a letter arrives. Lily now suffering on and off with ear ache and
struggling to hear for over 2 weeks total now.
I sign onto the website and book the first monday I see, which was just under a week away. (So I thought)
Monday comes, I get lily 10 mins early out of school, we head to the Ear Clinic. I get to the reception desk, and Lily's not booked in. I then get told "Its not until May"
MAY! 10th of MAY is her appointment. 3 Months from now!
I am shocked, and said there must be a mistake. I could not see a child having to wait that long with a problem needing to be fixed.
They gave me a number to call, and when I called there was no mistake, the booking was for that date. Only I hadden't spotted the May part, probably because I didn't expect a child to have to wait that long.
So I ask if I can get her an earlier one, explaining she keeps being in pain and struggling to hear. How that she will be struggling to hear in school which could put her back. The responce was that NO, from all 3 clinics in my area, there was a waiting list of 3 months and lots of elderly adults all booked in ear problems too.
I am in shock!
How can they expect a child to suffer for 3 months! ?
How can there be THAT many people on a waiting list?
Do they have only 1 doctor seeing them in each location? Feels like -1 in this case.
So yes, great, Lily has to now suffer until they can fit her in. The government are so up on Children's Education and they don't want to children to be out of school so they don't miss anything, well not being able to hear correctly is really going help her not miss anything isn't it! I know its not the amazing staff that work for the NHS fault and its the people controlling the NHS causing the problems. But how can it get over looked that because of their systems in place, children will be suffering.
Well Rant over!
My next plan, is to keep putting olive oil ear drops in her ears in hope that it helps clear it by itself. Poor Lily.
Has anyone else had any problems like this?
Anyone got any tips to help her ears?
No wonder you are ranting - 3 months is ages to wait!
ReplyDeleteThat's crazy, poor Lily! I know not quite the same but my husband suffers from this too. He went over to the pharmacy and they were able to give him some better drops which he said really helped! He said they made it feel worse to start with but after a few days of putting them in every morning and night it felt so much better! Might be worth popping in and asking in a chemist or Tesoc pharmacy as they may be able to give you some better drops. xx
ReplyDeleteThe chemist said there isn't anything for kids. but a friend has just showed me something that she uses on her child so going to look into that.
DeleteOh no! Poor Lily! That is really out of order having to wait so long. The hearing departments do have long waiting lists. My youngest is deaf in one ear and needs yearly hearing tests. When we moved house over the summer we were referred to the new hospital and was told there was a 5 month waiting list for an appointment. We're still waiting! Ugh! At least in our case it's not urgent.
ReplyDeleteI hope Lily gets seen soon x
Sorry to read that post. I thought children had priority for clinics but obviously not.
ReplyDeleteOlive oil at room temperature applied to each ear with a dropper once a week and allowed to work its way into the ears helps. Hopefully, the product your friend has suggested will do the same.
Poor Lily that is a terrible wait time, I hope you find something that helps in the meantime!
ReplyDeleteSas but true - our NHS is being run ro the ground - hope lily gets sorted soon
ReplyDeleteI was sorry to hear about poor Lily. Olive oil will soften the wax.
ReplyDeletei can relate to this. My great grandson has had hearing problems since he was a baby. He is 3 now and had to wait until he was 3 before a consultant would see him. He's had that appointment now and he has fluid in both ears (glue ear) and enlarged tonsiks. He has another appointment in four months when surgery will be considered. We all knew he had hearing problems which has also affected his speech too
ReplyDeleteNothing worse than being deaf ...hope Lily gets sorted soonow. Actually Almond oil ( from chemist) is a lot lighter than olive oil & more effective for clearing ear wax.
ReplyDeleteI would of thought children got priority, i'm shocked that Lily has to wait for so long, if she was missing school or wasnt doing her best in class they would soon be down on you, i would just try a pharmacist at Boots, they are normally pretty good
ReplyDelete