Читать книгу Koko Bear's Big Earache - Vicki Lansky - Страница 4

Introduction

By the time your child is a year or two old, you are probably a veteran of several middle ear infections and many sleepless nights.

Middle ear infections are of particular concern because even after the infection subsides with medication, fluid often remains behind the eardrum, causing hearing loss. Even temporary hearing loss, we now know, can seriously affect learning and speech development in young children and also cause behavioral and discipline problems. Remember, a young child can’t verbalize hearing loss and simply adapts to a problematic situation.

For this reason doctors today often recommend the placement of tiny ear tubes—PE (pressure equalization) or tympanostomy tubes—to ventilate the middle ear. This procedure involves a small incision in the eardrum (myringotomy) to drain the ear. A hollow ear tube the size of this “o” is then inserted. It is a simple, short operation performed at day-surgery centers that has successfully and dramatically improved hearing for thousands of children.

Because this procedure requires general anesthesia and a hospital setting, there are concerns for both parent and child alike. Knowing what to expect can help prepare your child and reduce anxiety for both of you. We believe that this story about KoKo Bear’s ear tube surgery will help insure that your child has a positive experience.